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You and Your Baby... Abuse and Pregnancy
Violence during pregnancy is bad for the mother but also for the fetus. Abuse usually gets worse over time. It will not stop when your baby is born.
This easy-to-print, plain language tip sheet handout for pregnant persons provides information about recognizing abuse during pregnancy, and where to find help.
Identifying Abuse
If you are a future mom, are you and your baby safe?
Does your partner…
- yell at you
- call you names?
- blame you for being pregnant
- break your things
- hurt or kill your pets?
- threaten to hurt you?
- always need to be in charge?
- keep you from seeing your friends and family?
- keep you from seeing your doctor or midwife?
- control your money
- Threaten to take your kids away?
This is emotional abuse. It can lead to physical abuse. All kinds of ABUSE can hurt you.
Abuse during pregnancy can cause you to:
- feel sad and alone
- feel anxious
- feel Bad about yourself
- have pain and injuries
- turn to alcohol or drugs
- not eat or sleep well
- lose your baby
….and cause your baby to:
- be born too small
- be born early
- be stillborn
- have injuries or infections
- have later health problems
- be abused after birth
Abuse can cause relationship problems between you and baby. PROTECT yourself and baby.
Does your partner:
- hit or kick you?
- hurt your breast belly or between your legs?
- force you to have sex?
If you said YES to any of the above questions, you and your baby may be in DANGER.
What you can do…
- Tell someone you trust what is going on
- Find people to help you (friends and family, your doctor or midwife, your prenatal educator, public health nurse, counsellor, a shelter for women)
- If possible, have and emergency escape plan
- Get help to leave the abusive relationship.
Talk to someone you TRUST There is support. You are not alone.
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Last updated:
October 24, 2022
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