Adverse pregnancy outcomes and sexual violence among female sex workers who inject drugs on the United States-Mexico border

Violence Vict. 2013;28(3):496-512. doi: 10.1891/0886-6708.11-00129.

Abstract

This study examines the prevalence of miscarriage/stillbirth among female sex workers who inject drugs (FSW-IDUs) and measures its associations with physical and sexual violence. Baseline data from 582 FSW-IDUs enrolled in an HIV intervention study in Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico were used for current analyses. 30% of participants had experienced at least one miscarriage/stillbirth, 51% had experienced sexual violence, and 49% had experienced physical violence. History of miscarriage/stillbirth was associated with sexual violence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.7, p = .02) but not physical violence. Additional reproductive risks associated with miscarriage/stillbirth included high numbers of male clients in the previous month (aOR = 1.1 per 30 clients, p = 0.04), history of abortion (aOR = 3.7, p < .001), and higher number of pregnancies (aOR = 1.4 per additional pregnancy, p < .001). Programs and research with this population should integrate reproductive health and consider gender-based violence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Induced / statistics & numerical data
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / epidemiology*
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / ethnology
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / prevention & control
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • California
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Mexican Americans / statistics & numerical data*
  • Mexico / ethnology
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Complications / ethnology
  • Pregnancy Complications / prevention & control
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Offenses / ethnology
  • Sex Offenses / prevention & control
  • Sex Offenses / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Workers / education
  • Sex Workers / psychology*
  • Sex Workers / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / epidemiology
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / ethnology
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control
  • Social Environment*
  • Stillbirth / epidemiology*
  • Stillbirth / ethnology
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / epidemiology*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / ethnology
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / prevention & control
  • Transients and Migrants / statistics & numerical data*
  • Unsafe Sex / ethnology
  • Unsafe Sex / statistics & numerical data
  • Violence / ethnology
  • Violence / prevention & control
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult