Abuse during pregnancy in industrialized and developing countries

Abuse during pregnancy has increasingly been identified as an important problem with significant consequences for maternal and infant health, particularly in North America. The authors review available evidence of the prevalence and consequences of abuse during pregnancy, including maternal mortality, outside of North America. The range of prevalence found in developing countries is much wider (3.8% to 31.7%) than that of industrialized countries (3.4% to 11%), which is much closer to findings from North America. There is a need for more studies using consistent definitions and methodologies to examine the patterns and forms of abuse related to pregnancy worldwide.