Reproductive & Sexual Health

Intimate partner violence can directly impact reproductive and sexual health—increasing risk for unintended pregnancies and abortions, miscarriage, and sexually transmitted infections.

With one in four women at risk for abuse in her lifetime, domestic violence is more common than other health complications addressed by reproductive health providers. Yet women are rarely asked about their experience with abuse or given information about the links between violence and their health.

FUTURES is working to transform reproductive health care and improve responses to women facing abuse through its tools and programs. We were among the first organizations to recognize the link between women’s reproductive health and exposure to violence—pioneering research and policy recommendations to address coercion and birth control sabotage.

Working with reproductive health care providers, FUTURES provides tools to screen for and respond to violence as well as training and education on the links between reproductive health and domestic and sexual violence.

Resources for Reproductive and Sexual Health:

• Addressing Intimate Partner Violence, Reproductive and Sexual Coercion: A Guide for Obstetric, Gynecologic and Reproductive Health Care Settings
• Did You Know Your Relationship Affects Your Health?: A Train the Trainers curriculum on Addressing IPV, Reproductive and Sexual Coercion
• Did You Know Your Relationship Affects Your Health? Reproductive health Safety Card in English and Spanish 
• We Are Sacred: American Indian/Alaska Native Reproductive Health: Reproductive Health Safety Card in English
• Reproductive Health Pregnancy Wheel

Important information on Reproductive & Sexual Health and Abuse:

• ACOG Committee Opinion: Committee on Healthcare for Underserved Women: Intimate Partner Violence
• ACOG Committee Opinion: Committee on Healthcare for Underserved Women: Reproductive Coercion
• ACOG Committee Opinion: Committee on Adolescent Healthcare: Long-Acting Reversible Contraception
• The Facts on Adolescent Pregnancy, Reproductive Risk, and Exposure to Dating and Family Violence

View the IPV Health Toolkit and IPV Health Partners toolkit for community health centers.