Intimate Partner Violence among Pregnant women attending Antenatal care in Saint Paul Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

<p><strong>Background: </strong>The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life." Domestic violence during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, spontaneous abortion, bleeding during pregnancy, preterm labor, preterm delivery and higher neonatal deaths.<br><br><strong>Objective:</strong> To determine the magnitude and the factors associated with intimate partner violence among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Saint Paul millennium Medical College.</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong> A health facility based cross sectional study was conducted from December 2017-January 2018, on 342 pregnant women attending ANC clinic in SPMMCH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia using standard questioner.&nbsp; A sample of 342 pregnant women were consecutively were interviewed. The data was entered using Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Descriptive statistics were conducted to summarize the sample characteristics. Backward stepwise logistic regression model was fitted and AOR with 95% CI was calculated to identify the associated factors. P-value &lt;0.25 was taken as a cut of point for statistical significance. Ethical clearance was obtained from Research Ethics Committee of the SPMMC. &nbsp;Informed consent was taken from the study participants.</p> <p><strong>Result:&nbsp; </strong>Among the 342 pregnant women attending ANC clinic who responded to the questionnaire, 168(49.12%) of them reported to have the exposed to any form of intimate partner violence. The results showed that having a pattern of substance use 1-3 times/ month by the respondent [AOR=2.94(95% CI: 1.01, 8.55)], alcohol consumption habit of the respondent partner [AOR=3.63(95% CI: 1.49, 8.80)] and respondent partner having relationship with other woman [AOR=2.08(95% CI: 1.19, 3.61)] were significantly associated with intimate partner violence. Respondents 129(37.83%) mentioned that it would be acceptable if a man beat his wife if he suspects /founds her to be unfaithful&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; .</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The magnitude of intimate partner violence was high among pregnant women attending ANC clinic in SPMMCH.</p>