Prevalence and Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Women Accessing Antenatal Care in Lagos.

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant women is a critical human rights and public health issue, affecting both mothers and their unborn children. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women accessing antenatal care in Lagos State and identify potential predictors.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving pregnant women of all gestational ages from randomly selected health facilities within a senatorial district of Lagos. Data were collected through a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25 with a significance threshold of p<0.05.

Results: Out of 460 participants, complete data was gathered from 417, with a mean age of 31.1 years. The findings revealed that approximately 22.5% of women experienced IPV in the year before pregnancy, with a prevalence of 19.7% reported during the current pregnancy. Psychological abuse was the most frequently encountered type of IPV. Key risk factors identified included unplanned pregnancies, exposure to violence during childhood, and a history of abuse in the past year. Women who had previously faced IPV were 96 times more likely to experience it during pregnancy (p<0.001). Additionally, controlling behavior exhibited by male partners increased the odds of IPV by 5 times.

Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of IPV among pregnant women and emphasizes the urgent need for increased awareness, advocacy, and integrated surveillance programs within antenatal care to combat this pressing public health concern.