Essay in Midwifery (PDF)

Running Head: ESSAY IN MIDWIFERY
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Essay in Midwifery

ESSAY IN MIDWIFERY
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The essay brings about the discussion on the aspects and impact of the intimate
partner violence in context to the childbearing woman. The components of the PHC
philosophy will also be discussed, in this analysis. Intimate partner violence (IPV), is one of
the most common issue in different sections of society, is referred to the violence against
women by their current or former spouse or the partner in the intimate relationship. Thus,
there is a greater role of the nurse midwifery in the context of prevention of illness. In
addition, the concept of advocacy and the interventions will give readers an idea towards to
prevent such issues, and introduce a change in the family planning method adopted by the
families in the rural or urban areas (Baum, White, Hopkins, Potter & Grossman, 2016). The
case study outlines about Aamira, 19 year old girl who arrived in Australia 5 years ago, and
14-weeks’ gestation has been experiencing the problem of IPV. She is the victim of intimate
partner violence, and later on faced the problem of abortion because of her husband’s
dominance. Thus, it will be discussed in detail with the impact on her wellbeing, and the
relevant rules in this context in the later part of essay.
IPV (Intimate Partner Violence), refers to the behaviour by a man or woman within an
intimate relationship, inclusive of their (current, or past marriages, domestic and family
relationship), which causes physical, sexual or psychological harm to the person involved in
the relationship. One in every three women globally, experienced violence from their current
or former partner in their relationship (Alhusen et al., 2015).
Discussing about the IPV in Australia, one in six Australian women is the victim of
physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from current or former partners (Smith et al., 2017).
Intimate partner violence harms the women’s physical, mental, emotional, and social health
and wellbeing, and is considered as one of the major cause of disability and death of the
child-bearing women. This is linked to the case Aamira child-bearing women, a child- who
experienced the issue of IPV, from her spouse Faheem. It can be characterised from the case
study, as she felt difficult to stand straight, and discomfort when she was about to be
ambulated. Thus, it has been observed that 68% of women who had their children
experienced violence in Australia from their current or previous partners, and 25% of the
adult women at child-bearing age experienced the same problem (World Health Organization,
2018).
IPV or Violence against the pregnant women is found to have serious impact not only
on the women, but also the foetus. The experience of IPV, to the pregnant women is

ESSAY IN MIDWIFERY
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associated with many negative consequences, which also includes decreased infant birth
weight, and increase in rates of prematurity. Thus, a women during the period of gestation
experiencing partner violence, has negative influence on their physical, social and
psychological wellbeing. These impacts include the abuse involving the abdominal trauma,
which further leads to the problem of premature labor, rupturing of membranes, placental
abruption, and ruptured uterus. This all leads to the preterm birth or even foetal demise. Thus,
to enlist major impacts to the physical wellness of child-bearing women, it includes injury,
physical impairment, difficulties in attachment with the child (Gunderson et al., 2018).
Injuries from IPV to the pregnant women consist of broken bones, cuts, burns, broken
teeth, haemorrhages, and persistent headaches. It has been found that the physical, sexual and
psychological violence on the pregnant women, have impact on their mental health. Women
facing IPV are found with the higher levels of depression, and other mental health problems.
Mental health issues amongst them also include suicide attempts, post-traumatic stress
disorder, anxiety disorders, poor maternal nutrition, or use of alcohol. During the period of
pregnancy, women often think of harming themselves, due to the severity of violence
experienced by their partners. IPV, also impacts the psychological wellbeing of pregnant
women, as it leads to anxiety, irritability, impact on the quality of sleep or sleep disorders.
The psychological distress to the child-bearing women due to the experience of intimate
partner violence also includes weight loss, weight gain, stomach pain, musculoskeletal
conditions, stress, cardio-vascular diseases, and several other health problems (Beydoun,
Williams, Beydoun, Eid & Zonderman, 2017).
It has been also found that long-term sexual violence and associated trauma to the
pregnant women may also increase the risk of urogenital infections and the chronic pelvic
pain, and other related health problems. Thus, women around the world, and Australia
especially are the victims and likely to feel shame, guilt, and self-blame for being abused by
their partners in their intimate relationship. Hence, the above listed physical, mental, or
psychological issues are commonly found to be the major impact of the intimate partner
violence (Hooker, Samaraweera, Agius & Taft, 2016).
PHC Components
PHC (Primary Health Care) can be defined in terms of philosophy and an approach
both, as it is a philosophy of a healthcare, following the approach of providing healthcare