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Call for papers - Screening and management of intimate partner violence in pregnancy

Guest Editors

Berihun Dachew, PhD, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Australia
Chiara Ionio, PhD, Department of Psychology, Catholic University, Italy

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 16 April 2025

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth is calling for submissions to our Collection on Screening and management of intimate partner violence in pregnancy.

This Collection aims to enhance the understanding of effective strategies for identifying and supporting survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) within maternity care settings. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy poses substantial risks to maternal and child health. Effective screening and management during antenatal care are vital for supporting affected individuals, despite ongoing challenges in identification and support.

New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 5: Gender Equality.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Berihun Dachew, PhD, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Australia

Dr Berihun Dachew is an Epidemiologist with expertise in mental health, perinatal epidemiology, and maternal and child health. He received his PhD from the University of Queensland and is currently a Research Fellow in Epidemiology at Curtin University, School of Population Health, where he conducts extensive research using large linked administrative health data and birth cohort studies. Dr Dachew is an associate editor for five academic journals and has authored over 100 research articles. His research findings have been published in top medical journals, including The Lancet, the British Medical Journal, JAMA Network Open, and the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Chiara Ionio, PhD, Department of Psychology, Catholic University, Italy

Dr Chiara Ionio is a Psychologist, PhD, and an Associate Professor of Psychology of Development and Education at the Faculty of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan. Dr Ionio is the Coordinator of the Trauma Research Unit and holder of the 'Psychology of Childhood and Counselling' and 'Psychology of Traumatic Relationships' lectureships. She is a member of the board of directors of the Italian Society of Pediatric Psychology (SIPPed) and a member of the Research Centre on Evolutionary and Educational Dynamics (CRIdee) of the Catholic University. She is also a co-director of the magazine Maltreatment and Abuse in Childhood and author of several national and international publications on the themes of the impact of trauma on child mental health.

About the Collection

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth is calling for submissions to our Collection on Screening and management of intimate partner violence in pregnancy.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a critical public health issue with significant implications for maternal and child well-being. Screening for IPV during antenatal care and effective management of disclosed cases are essential components of maternity care, yet challenges persist in the identification and support of affected individuals. Advancing our collective understanding of screening and managing IPV in pregnancy is crucial for improving the health outcomes of pregnant individuals and their children. 

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth is launching a new Collection, Screening and management of intimate partner violence in pregnancy, to enhance the understanding of effective strategies for identifying and supporting survivors of intimate partner violence within maternity care settings.

The Collection invites researchers and clinicians in fields including obstetrics, social work, public health, maternal-fetal medicine, midwifery, and psychology to contribute research that explores topics including, but not limited to, enhancing routine screenings for IPV during antenatal care, the integration of trauma-informed care approaches, and the development of evidence-based interventions to support survivors of IPV during pregnancy.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 5: Gender Equality.

Image credit: © AngiePhotos / Getty Images / iStock

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read the submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal you are submitting to. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Screening and management of intimate partner violence in pregnancy" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the standard peer-review process of the journal and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.