Violence among pregnant women in Denmark from 2019 to 2021 - A hospital-based cross-sectional study

Hanne Kristine Hegaard; Heidi Sharif; Lea B S Ankerstjerne; Seda Serhatlioglu; Anne-Mette Schroll; Julie Midtgaard; Kristina M Renault; Lotte Broberg

doi:10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100943

Violence among pregnant women in Denmark from 2019 to 2021 - A hospital-based cross-sectional study

Sex Reprod Healthc. 2024 Mar:39:100943. doi: 10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100943. Epub 2023 Dec 12.

Authors

Hanne Kristine Hegaard¹, Heidi Sharif², Lea B S Ankerstjerne³, Seda Serhatlioglu⁴, Anne-Mette Schroll⁵, Julie Midtgaard⁶, Kristina M Renault⁷, Lotte Broberg⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; The Interdisciplinary Research Unit of Women's, Children's and Families' Health, The Juliane Marie Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Denmark, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Winsløwparken 19, 3., 5000 Odense, Denmark; Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winsløws Vej 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ The Interdisciplinary Research Unit of Women's, Children's and Families' Health, The Juliane Marie Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; Antalya Bilim University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery, No:290 A Dösemealti, 07121 Antalya, Turkey.
⁵ The Danish Association of Midwives, Sankt Annae Plads 30, 1250 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Denmark, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark; Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health Care (CARMEN), Mental Health Centre Glostrup, Nordstjernevej 41, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Department of Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Denmark, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Department of Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Frederiksberg Hospital, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 38104502
DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100943

Abstract

We examined the prevalence of lifetime physical and any recent violence and related maternal characteristics and health in pregnant women. We used Patient Reported Outcomes data retrieved from the Copenhagen Pregnancy Cohort (n = 7,361). The prevalence of lifetime physical and any recent violence was 4.0 % and 1.6 %, respectively. For both lifetime and any recent violence, the highest prevalence rates were seen among women aged 18-24, non-cohabiting, smokers, low levels of educational attainment, and women with chronic medical and psychiatric disease and lower psychological well-being. The prevalence may potentially be underestimated in this study, highlighting the need for improving screening for violence.

Keywords: Emotional abuse; Physical violence; Pregnant women; Screening.

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Denmark / epidemiology
Educational Status
Female
Humans
Pregnancy
Pregnant People* / psychology
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Violence*