Social support and intimate partner violence during pregnancy among women attending antenatal care in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania

Abstract

BackgroundIntimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem with negative health consequences for women and their pregnancies. While social support has a protective effect against IPV and reduces health consequences of violence, its association with experiencing IPV during pregnancy remain less explored. In our study we aimed to determine the effect of social support on IPV during pregnancy among women attending antenatal care in Moshi, TanzaniaMethodsThe study was part of a prospective cohort study that assessed the impact of violence on reproductive health of 1,116 participants. Pregnant women were enrolled below 24 weeks of gestation and followed until delivery. The experiences of social support and IPV during pregnancy were assessed at the 34th week of gestation. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between social support and IPV, with adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsThe prevalence of IPV during pregnancy was 30.3% where the majority (29.0%) experienced repeated episodes of abuse. Regarding practical social support, having no one to help financially was associated with increased odds of IPV and repeated episodes of abuse during pregnancy, AOR 3.57, (95% CI 1.85 - 6.90) and AOR 3.21, (95% CI 1.69 - 6.11) respectively. For social support in terms of communication, talking to a member of the family of origin at least monthly was associated with decreased odds of IPV and repeated episodes of IPV during pregnancy, AOR 0.46 (95% CI 0.26 - 0.82) and AOR 0.41 (95% CI 0.23 - 0.73) respectively. Perceiving that family of origin will not offer support was associated with a increased odds of IPV and repeated episodes of IPV, AOR 2.29, (95% CI 1.31 – 3.99) and AOR 2.14, (95% CI 1.23 – 3.74) respectively.ConclusionsNearly one third of women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Social support to women is associated with decreased odds of experiencing IPV during pregnancy. The family of origin plays an important role in providing social support to women who experience abuse during pregnancy; however, their true involvement in mitigating the impact of violence in the African setting needs further research.

Intimate partner violence and perinatal health: a systematic review

“…Forty-one studies (82%, n = 41) were of high methodological quality (indicating low risk of bias) ( Table 2). [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]28,29,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]43,[46][47][48][49][51][52][53][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][65][66][67] Most of the studies with high or moderate risk of bias obtained low scores in sample selection 30,45,50,54,55,64 or comparability. 27,45,50,…”

“…Physical IPV was associated with 13 different perinatal health outcomes in 18 studies. The most frequently associated outcomes were low birthweight, 19,20,32,33,37,40,59 followed by pre-term birth, 32,33,37,53,57,59 premature rupture of membranes, 19,25,33,37,60 and perinatal death. 33,37,51,65 Other outcomes associated were bleeding or haemorrhage during pregnancy, 25,37,47 inadequate gestational weight gain, 22,26,60 small-for-gestational-age neonate, 21,33 and urinary tract infection.…”

“…Pre-term birth or prematurity A total of 20 studies with high methodological quality looked at pre-term birth (Table S1). [18][19][20][21]24,[31][32][33]35,37,38,46,49,53,[57][58][59][60]63,67 Four of them found a significant association with undifferentiated IPV, 33,46,49,57 six with physical IPV, 32,33,37,53,57,59 and only one with psychological IPV. 57 The risk of pre-term birth was between 1.97 and 5.94 times higher among women who had experienced undifferentiated IPV, and between 2.29 and 5.7 times higher among those who experienced physical IPV.…”

“…Seventeen studies with high methodological quality examined low birthweight, [18][19][20][21]24,29,[31][32][33]35,37,40,43,49,59,62,65 and four of them associated this with undifferentiated IPV, 33,38,43,49 seven with physical IPV, 19,20,32,33,37,40,59 and one with sexual IPV. 37 The risk of low birthweight was between 1.96 and 5.5 times higher among women exposed to physical IPV, 2.1 times higher when exposed to undifferentiated IPV and 2.80 times higher when exposed to sexual IPV.…”

Representação da violência doméstica contra a mulher: comparação entre discentes de enfermagem

“…A research conducted in an African country identified that 39.2% of women have suffered at least one form of intimate partner violence, with 30.2% occurring during the gestational period. It should be highlighted that emotional violence corresponded to 30.8%, sexual violence was 19.3% and physical violence 10.7% (2) .…”