Child Maltreatment and the Link to Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in Adulthood: Implications for Nurse-Midwives

Abuse and neglect are global phenomena with devastating personal, familial, and societal effects. When occurring in childhood, this maltreatment increases the risk for additional abuse experiences across the lifespan, including intimate partner violence (IPV). This purpose of this integrative review is to analyze and summarize current research about the relationship between the experience of child maltreatment and intimate partner violence in adulthood, as it relates to the practice of nurse-midwives. Findings from a total of 28 articles from three major databases were analyzed and synthesized in this review. The majority of the literature supports that child maltreatment increases the risk for IPV in adulthood, and the link appears to be stronger in specific populations, including female veterans, sexual minorities, and individuals with mental illness. Due to the intimate nature of the care they provide to women and their families, nurse-midwives are uniquely poised to prevent and address this maltreatment but continue to have a knowledge deficit related to this phenomenon and continue to encounter barriers in practice. For example, many nurse-midwives and midwifery students report lacking basic knowledge of the signs of IPV. Fortunately, nearly 90% of nurse-midwives report a desire for additional education and training related to IPV. Still, nurse-midwives report a lack of organizational support in caring for survivors of IPV. Nurse-midwives need additional resources and training related to abuse, and they must take an active role in assessing, treating, providing resources, and making appropriate referrals to interprofessional colleagues. Early detection and intervention are essential to favorable health outcomes for survivors of abuse, so nurse-midwives and other providers must consistently take an active role in addressing this pervasive problem. Additionally, national and international midwifery professional organizations must outline clear, evidence-based standards for the care of individuals experiencing IPV and go beyond a general recommendation for screening. Further research may elucidate best practices in coordinating care for midwifery clients who are survivors of abuse, as well as optimal ways to incorporate interprofessional collaboration in nurse-midwifery education and training.