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A hospital‐based study of intimate partner violence during pregnancy
Author(s) -
Jain Sandhya,
Varshney Khushboo,
Vaid Neelam B.,
Guleria Kiran,
Vaid Keya,
Sharma Neha
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1002/ijgo.12086
Subject(s) - medicine , domestic violence , pregnancy , population , socioeconomic status , observational study , poison control , demography , obstetrics , psychiatry , injury prevention , environmental health , biology , sociology , genetics
Objective To determine the prevalence and types of intimate partner violence ( IPV ) during pregnancy, factors linked with IPV , and effects of IPV on maternal‐fetal outcomes. Methods In a prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India, 400 women at 20–28 weeks of pregnancy were screened for IPV between December 2013 and April 2015. The women completed a detailed questionnaire and were followed up until delivery. Results Overall, 49 (12.3%) women experienced IPV during pregnancy. The most prevalent type of IPV was emotional (43/400 [10.7%]), followed by physical (40/400 [10.0%]) and sexual (7/400 [1.8%]). The most prevalent factor triggering IPV was intimate partner's desire for a son (17/49 [34.7%]). Women and their intimate partners were older in the IPV group than in the control group, and duration of marriage was longer ( P <0.05 for all). Multigravidity, lower socioeconomic status, low education level of intimate partner, and partners’ addiction were more common in the IPV group ( P <0.05 for all). Obstetric outcomes were similar in both groups. Depression was diagnosed in 19 (46.3%) women affected by IPV . Conclusion IPV was documented in approximately 12% of participants. Population‐based surveys need to be done to investigate further.