RT Article
T1 Intimate Partner Violence and Pregnancy Termination Among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa
JF Journal of interpersonal violence
VO 38
IS 1/2
SP 2092
OP 2111
A1 Arthur-Holmes, Francis
A2 Aboagye, Richard Gyan
A2 Dadzie, Louis Kobina
A2 Agbaglo, Ebenezer
A2 Okyere, Joshua
A2 Seidu, Abdul-Aziz
A2 Ahinkorah, Bright Opoku
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1830285106
AB Intimate partner violence (IPV) is predominant in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and has serious adverse effects on the physical, psychological, and reproductive health of those who experience it. For reproductive health outcomes, experiencing IPV has been linked to higher odds of unintended pregnancies that can result in abortion. Hence, we examined the association between IPV and pregnancy termination among women in SSA. This study used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) of 25 countries in SSA, which adopted a cross-sectional study design. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to examine the association between IPV and pregnancy termination. The results were presented as crude odds ratios (cORs) and adjusted odds ratios (aORs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The prevalence of IPV and pregnancy termination were 40.8% and 16.5%, respectively. The odds of pregnancy termination was higher among women who had experienced IPV [cOR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.52–1.61] compared to those who had never experienced IPV. This persisted after controlling for potential confounders [aOR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.51–1.61]. At the country level, IPV had a significant association with pregnancy termination in all the countries considered, except Sierra Leone and Namibia. These findings highlight the need for laws and policies to protect women from IPV in SSA, especially in the countries that recorded higher odds of IPV and pregnancy termination.
K1 Sub-Saharan Africa
K1 pregnancy termination
K1 Intimate Partner Violence
K1 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)
DO 10.1177/08862605221098405