Intimate partner violence in the postpartum period and its associated factors among women attending a postnatal clinic in Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Objective: Intimate partner violence may affect women at any stage of their lives, including during pregnancy and after childbirth, and can have major health consequences for both the mother and the child. Therefore, the study was aimed to assess Intimate partner violence against postpartum women and its associated factors among women attending the postpartum clinic in Central Ethiopia, 2021. Methods: The hospital based cross-sectional study design was implemented among postpartum women attending Sendafa Beke Hospital from September to October 2021. Systematic random sampling procedure was used to select 414 eligible postpartum women. Data were collected using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi Info and exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. All variables with p-value < 0.05 under adjusted odds ratio were taken as statistical significant associated factors with postpartum intimate partner violence. Results: A total of 414 postpartum women participated in the study with a 97% of response rate. The prevalence of postpartum intimate partner violence was 31.4%. The study identified that monthly income 1000–5000 birr (adjusted odds ratio = 3.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.08, 10.5), partners’ alcohol consumption (adjusted odds ratio = 0.17, 95% confidence interval = 0.06, 0.45), decision-maker of household affairs (adjusted odds ratio = 4.8; 95% confidence interval = 1.5, 15.1), and infant’s sex (adjusted odds ratio = 0.03; 95% confidence interval = 0.02, 0.063) were significantly associated with postpartum intimate partner violence. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, nearly one-third of postpartum women were violated by their intimate partner after childbirth. Postpartum intimate partner violence was found to be associated with monthly income, partners’ alcohol intake, decision-maker of household affairs, and infant’s sex. To reduce the magnitude of the problem, different efforts should require from health professional, community, and government. The policy makers, planners and other concerned bodies establish appropriate strategy to prevent and control violence against women.

Extended postpartum intimate partner violence and its associated factors: community-based cross-sectional study design

“…This study found that mothers whose husbands dominate the overall household decision-making authority were more likely to be violated than those who decide on their own. This was supported by the evidence obtained from the study conducted in central Ethiopia [ 28 ]. This might be because husbands who dominate decision-making power are guided by their own perspective alone, which might cause intimate partner violence.…”

“…This was in line with the study conducted in Ghana, which was 46% [ 15 ]. Conversely, it was higher than the study conducted in central Ethiopia at 31.4% [ 28 ], rural Zambia at 8.1% [ 14 ], Australia at 17.4% [ 11 ], Nepal at 20% [ 38 ] and South Africa at 24.56% [ 39 ]. This discrepancy might be due to the difference in the assessment method employed.…”

“…The sample size for this study was determined by using the single population proportion formula, taking the proportion of postpartum intimate partner violence as 31.4% [ 28 ], which was conducted in central Ethiopia using a 95% confidence interval and a 4% margin of error (d) as follows: n , n = ; n = 518. Finally, by adding a 10% nonresponse rate, the final sample size of 570 was taken.…”

“…Maternal social support was assessed by the maternity social support scale: low social support < 18, medium social support 19–23, and high social support 24–30 [ 31 ]. Husband’s index of pregnancy during the current baby is defined as husband’s intention to have a child before conception [ 28 ]. The duration of postpartum period was classified as ≤ 6 weeks and ≥ 7 weeks for the purpose of this study [ 32 ].…”

Low husband involvement in maternal and child health services and intimate partner violence increases the odds of postpartum depression in northwest Ethiopia: A community-based study

“…It can cause extensive mental health consequences including depression among victims [ 8 , 9 ]. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women was 28.74 [ 10 ] and in central Ethiopia, it was 31.4% postpartum IPV [ 11 ].…”