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Women may have been subjected to unwanted sexual experiences. This can have a lasting emotional and psychological impact. The intimacy associated with pregnancy and childbirth may provoke particular fear and anxiety in these cases. This may be further exacerbated by midwifery and obstetric practice. Ultimately, previous personal experiences combined with those encountered when accessing maternity care may have the potential to influence the utilization of all health care in the future. Having awareness and understanding of past sexual abuse can enable healthcare professionals to adopt a sensitive approach and prevent unknowingly re-traumatizing the woman. This article outlines some simple strategies that health professionals may consider to reduce the trauma associated with intimate procedures for all women.
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Barlow et al. (2004) studied this question.
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