Options
Risk of adverse newborn outcomes among women who experienced physical and psychological intimate partner abuse during pregnancy in Ghana's northern region
Journal
Heliyon
ISSN
2405-8440
Date Issued
2023-04
Author(s)
Michael Boah
Nashiru Abdulai
Abdul-Nasir Issah
Daudi Yeboah
Mary Rachael Kpordoxah
Jevaise Aballo
Martin Nyaaba Adokiya
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15391
Abstract
Background
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common worldwide. However, the health effects of exposure to IPV during pregnancy are significantly more severe. We investigated the relationship between exposure to IPV during pregnancy and the risk of preterm and low birthweight births among women in Ghana's northern region.
Methods
We recruited 402 postnatal women aged 15–49 years from five selected public health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis of the northern region of Ghana. Using Kobo Collect, information on a wide range of factors, including exposure to IPV during the last pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, was collected electronically. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted in Stata to determine the associations between prenatal exposure to IPV and binary measures of gestational age at birth and birthweight.
Results
Overall, 35.1% (95% CI: 30.5, 39.9) of the respondents experienced IPV during their recent pregnancy; 6.7% (95% CI: 4.6, 9.6) experienced physical IPV; and 34.8% (95% CI: 30.3, 39.6) experienced psychological IPV. The prevalence of preterm and low birthweight deliveries was 18.9% (95% CI: 15.4, 23.1) and 9.0% (95% CI: 6.5, 12.2), respectively. Prenatal exposure to IPV was linked to poor newborn outcomes by multivariable binary regression models. Women who suffered IPV during their last pregnancy were three times more likely to deliver low birthweight babies (AOR = 3.12: 95% CI: 1.42, 6.84). Exposed women were also about twice as likely to deliver prematurely, although this association was not statistically significant (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 0.97, 3.38).
Conclusion
Exposure to IPV during pregnancy increases a woman's risk of delivering prematurely and having a low birthweight baby. IPV screening should be a regular part of ANC, so that pregnant women who are experiencing IPV can be monitored and supported to avoid adverse outcomes for their babies.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common worldwide. However, the health effects of exposure to IPV during pregnancy are significantly more severe. We investigated the relationship between exposure to IPV during pregnancy and the risk of preterm and low birthweight births among women in Ghana's northern region.
Methods
We recruited 402 postnatal women aged 15–49 years from five selected public health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis of the northern region of Ghana. Using Kobo Collect, information on a wide range of factors, including exposure to IPV during the last pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, was collected electronically. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted in Stata to determine the associations between prenatal exposure to IPV and binary measures of gestational age at birth and birthweight.
Results
Overall, 35.1% (95% CI: 30.5, 39.9) of the respondents experienced IPV during their recent pregnancy; 6.7% (95% CI: 4.6, 9.6) experienced physical IPV; and 34.8% (95% CI: 30.3, 39.6) experienced psychological IPV. The prevalence of preterm and low birthweight deliveries was 18.9% (95% CI: 15.4, 23.1) and 9.0% (95% CI: 6.5, 12.2), respectively. Prenatal exposure to IPV was linked to poor newborn outcomes by multivariable binary regression models. Women who suffered IPV during their last pregnancy were three times more likely to deliver low birthweight babies (AOR = 3.12: 95% CI: 1.42, 6.84). Exposed women were also about twice as likely to deliver prematurely, although this association was not statistically significant (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 0.97, 3.38).
Conclusion
Exposure to IPV during pregnancy increases a woman's risk of delivering prematurely and having a low birthweight baby. IPV screening should be a regular part of ANC, so that pregnant women who are experiencing IPV can be monitored and supported to avoid adverse outcomes for their babies.
File(s)
No Thumbnail Available
Name
PIIS2405844023025987.pdf
Size
1.19 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):daf48d7308384f72eb416fd3c2e07700