Prevalence of intimate partner violence among women seeking termination of pregnancy compared to women seeking contraceptive counseling
Öberg, M.; Stenson, K.; Skalkidou, A.; Heimer, G.
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 93(1): 45-51
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1600-0412 PMID: 24117134 DOI: 10.1111/aogs.12279Document Number: 576513
To estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women seeking termination of pregnancy (TOP) in comparison to women seeking contraceptive counseling. Case-control study. Family planning unit, Uppsala University Hospital. Women seeking TOP (n = 635) and women seeking contraceptive counseling (n = 591) answered a self-administered questionnaire regarding experience of IPV. In addition, the women were interviewed by specially trained staff. Comparisons were made between the two groups and between those who had previously undergone TOP and those who had never done so with experience of IPV as the main outcome measure. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for age, education and occupation. In total, 29% of women seeking TOP and 22% of women seeking contraceptive counseling reported experience of violence. Women seeking TOP were more likely to report physical violence [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.1] and experience of violence during the past year (aOR = 2.3, 95% Cl 1.1-4.8). Women who had ever undergone TOP were also more likely to report IPV compared with women with no history of TOP (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.3). Among women with repeated TOP, 51% reported experience of IPV. Women seeking TOP reported to a greater extent experience of IPV. However, women seeking contraceptive counseling also had a high prevalence of violent experiences. These results stress the importance of caregivers approaching both groups of women with questions about IPV to identify exposed women and offer them help.