Trends and determinants of pregnancy-related domestic violence in a referral center in southern Nigeria

Objective: To describe the trend and identify associated risk factors for pregnancy-related domestic violence.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 502 women attending the sixth week postnatal clinic in a tertiary hospital in urban Nigeria, participants completed semi-structured questionnaires on experience of domestic violence before and during pregnancy, and in the puerperium. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess risk factors associated with experiencing violence.

Results: The prevalence of domestic violence was 43.5% during the 12 months before the pregnancy, 28.3% during the pregnancy, and 4% in the puerperium. Psychological violence was the commonest form of violence experienced. All forms of violence were least common in the puerperium. Experience of violence in the 12 months before pregnancy (P<0.0001, odds ratio 274.34 [95% CI, 66.4-1133.8]), HIV seropositivity (P=0.02, odds ratio 2.81 [95% CI, 1.2-6.5]), and regular alcohol intake (P<0.0001, odds ratio 11.60 [95% CI, 3.8-35.1]) significantly increased the likelihood of experiencing domestic violence.

Conclusion: Pregnancy-related domestic violence is an important health problem in this community in southern Nigeria. Experience of violence before the pregnancy, HIV infection, and regular alcohol consumption are risk factors.