Pregnancy Resulting from Rape

What to know

  • Rape-related pregnancy is a public health problem where sexual violence and reproductive health connect.
  • Women, in particular, are vulnerable to rape. There are several short-term health consequences of rape including injury, sexually transmitted infection, and pregnancy.

Terms to know

  • Rape is a type of sexual violence and is defined as forced or alcohol/drug-facilitated anal, oral, or vaginal penetration.
  • Rape-related pregnancy includes pregnancy that a rape victim attributed to rape.
  • Reproductive coercion is a form of intimate partner violence that involves exerting power and control over reproduction through interference with contraception use and pregnancy pressure.

Facts

Almost 3 million women in the United States experienced rape-related pregnancy during their lifetime. The prevalence of rape-related pregnancy was similar across racial and ethnic groups.

About 18 million women have experienced vaginal rape in their lifetime. Women who were raped by a current or former intimate partner were more likely to report rape-related pregnancy (26%) compared to those raped by an acquaintance (5.2%) or a stranger (6.9%).

Of women who were raped by an intimate partner, 30% experienced a form of reproductive coercion by the same partner. Specifically, about 20% reported that their partner had tried to get them pregnant when they did not want to or tried to stop them from using birth control. About 23% reported their partner refused to use a condom.

Women raped by an intimate partner who reported rape-related pregnancy were significantly more likely to have experienced reproductive coercion compared to women who were raped by an intimate partner but did not become pregnant.

These data come from the first study in over 20 years to offer a nationally representative prevalence estimate of rape-related pregnancy of U.S. women by any perpetrator and the first ever to provide these estimates by race and ethnicity. The findings add to the understanding of the relationship between sexual violence and intimate partner violence and reproductive health among U.S. women.

What CDC is doing

CDC focuses on preventing violence before it starts. CDC's Resources for Action, formerly known as, "technical packages," detail the best available evidence for preventing rape and other types of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. These resources for action also contain strategies to help states and communities support survivors and lessen the short- and long-term harms of violence.

Primary prevention efforts that help young men develop healthy intimate relationships and a positive sense of masculinity may be essential to reducing rape and intimate partner violence (including reproductive coercion) as well as negative reproductive health outcomes.

Additionally, the inclusion of services for sexual and reproductive health with sexual violence and intimate partner violence services can help ensure comprehensive care is available for survivors.

Resources

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Content Source:
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
  • Basile, K.C., Smith, S.G., Liu, y., Kresnow, M., Fasula, A.M., Gilbert, L., Chen, J. (2018). Rape-related pregnancy and association with reproductive coercion in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 55(6), 770-776 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.07.028