The association of intimate partner violence with unintended pregnancy and pregnancy loss in Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To determine if intimate partner violence (IPV) was associated with unintended pregnancy and pregnancy loss among married women in Pakistan.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using nationally representative cross-sectional secondary data from women of reproductive age who were currently married and had participated in the domestic violence module of the 2012-13 Pakistan Demographic and Heath Survey. Unintended pregnancy and pregnancy loss were defined as any mistimed or unwanted pregnancy, and any pregnancy that resulted in spontaneous abortion, induced abortion, or stillbirth, respectively. Associations with IPV were assessed by calculating adjusted odds ratios using logistic regression models.

Results: Data from 3518 individuals were included. Pregnancy loss had been experienced by 1282 (36.4%) participants and unintended pregnancy was reported by 391 (19.5%) of 2005 individuals this information was available for. In total, 1335 (37.9%) participants reported having ever experienced any form of IPV, including 919 (26.1%), 1112 (31.6%), and 697 (19.8%) participants who had experienced physical, emotional, and both emotional and physical IPV. Significant associations were observed between participants experiencing either physical or emotional IPV, emotional IPV, and both emotional and physical IPV, and unintended pregnancy (P=0.017, P<0.001, and P=0.011, respectively) and pregnancy loss (P=0.002, P=0.005, and P<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: There is an urgent need to develop preventive strategies to reduce intramarital IPV and its associated poor health outcomes.

Keywords: Demographic and health survey; Intimate partner violence; Pakistan; Pregnancy loss; Unintended pregnancy.