A Cross-Sectional study on Prevalence of Domestic Violence During pregnancy in Chittagong: Maternal Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Domestic violence is a public health concern that is more prevalent in lower middle class countries and is increasing. A review of population-based surveys found that 10% to 69% of women have been physically abused by their husbands at least once in their lives. 35% of women globally have suffered either physical or sexual violence, and this violence is exacerbated during their pregnancy.

Objective: The main objectives of this research are to: Evaluate the prevalence of violence during pregnancy and what women do as a result, To look into the underlying causes of violence, to investigate the harmful impact of violence on mothers' health. Method: A total of 210 participants, whose ages ranged from 18 to 49, provided data. Chittagong Medical College was chosen as the study's location and the convenience technique was implemented.

Result: Among the participants (54.8%) females were between 26-35 years of age, while (31.0%) females had secondary education. Regarding family income status, (47.1%) women have low income from their point of view. Women experience mild to severe violence during their pregnancy that leads to different maternal outcomes. 40.2% of women are slapped which is considered as physical violence. On the other hand, 51.1% of women were forced to have sex during their pregnancy. 42.6% of women have been abused by their partner or family members. And 50.0% of people have experienced workplace violence during maternity leave. A large number of 183 (85.9%) women experienced psychological problems and 14.1% women experienced physical violence during their pregnancy. But those who faced physical problems, also faced mental problems. Physical and emotional violence usually occur together during pregnancy. Conclusion: Violence against women is difficult to quantify due to lack of a well-defined term and cultural acceptance. More research is needed to determine the factors associated with domestic violence during pregnancy in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Government should take steps to eliminate all forms of violence against pregnant women.