Abstract
BackgroundIntimate Partner Violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious public health concern globally. Within Sub-Saharan Africa nearly 40% of women reported abuse by their intimate partners. In Ethiopia, study findings regarding prevalence and associated factors of IPV among pregnant women have been inconsistently reported and highly variable. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis estimates the pooled prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia.MethodsInternational databases (i.e., PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library) were systematically searched during the period of January 1 to February 13, 2018. All identified observational studies reporting the prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia were considered. Two authors (AA and CT) independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. Extracted quantitative data were analyzed using STATA Version 13. Heterogeneity among the included studies was assessed through the Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test. Finally, a random effects meta-analysis model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence of IPV. Associations between factors and IPV were also examined using a random effects model.ResultsAfter reviewing 605 studies, eight studies involving 2691 pregnant women fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. The findings of these eight studies revealed that a 26.1% (95% CI: 20, 32.3) overall prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia. The subgroup analysis of this study further revealed the highest observed prevalence was in Oromia region (35%), followed by Amhara region (29%). Mothers‘educational status (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.7), intimate partners’ educational status (OR: 3.5, 95%CI: 1.4, 8.5), and intimate partners’ alcohol use (OR: 11.4, 95%CI: 2.3, 56.6) were significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women.ConclusionThis study found that the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia was quite common; with slightly more than 1 in 4, pregnant women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Mothers’ educational status, intimate partners’ educational status, and intimate partners’ alcohol use were factors significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women.
Highlights
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious public health concern globally
This systematic review and meta-analysis estimates the pooled prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia
The prevalence of IPV in Ethiopia showed slightly more than 1 in 4pregnant women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Both partners’ educational status and the intimate partners’ alcohol use were factors significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia
Summary
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious public health concern globally. In Ethiopia, study findings regarding prevalence and associated factors of IPV among pregnant women have been inconsistently reported and highly variable. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse against women by an intimate partner [1, 2] It is a serious public health concern throughout the world, but it’s notably present in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 38.83% of the women abused by their intimate partner [3, 4]. In a multi-country based study conducted by World Health Organization (WHO) on women’s health and domestic violence against women found that the prevalence of IPV during pregnancy in Ethiopia was estimated to be 8% [5]. Early identification and intervention of IPV during pregnancy is necessary in reducing such adverse and preventable outcomes [13]
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