Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Kenya: forms, perpetrators and associations
- PMID: 35672817
- PMCID: PMC9172160
- DOI: 10.1186/s12905-022-01761-7
Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Kenya: forms, perpetrators and associations
Abstract
Background: Intimate Partner violence (IPV) among pregnant women is a significant problem of public health importance. Nevertheless, there are relatively few studies which have examined the phenomenon in sub-Saharan settings. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the prevalence, perpetrators, and associated factors of IPV during pregnancy in Kenya.
Methods: We were making use of the 2014 Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) data and included women and girls of reproductive age (15-49 years) who have ever been pregnant ([Formula: see text]). A weighted sample of respondents who have experienced violence during pregnancy ([Formula: see text]) were selected for further bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses in order to examine the association between IPV and socio-demographic factors.
Results: The prevalence of violence among pregnant women in Kenya was 9.2%, perpetrated mostly by the current husband or partner (47.6%), followed by the former husband or partner (31.5%). Physical violence was the most common (78.6%), followed by emotional (67.8%) and sexual (34.8%). Having one or two children ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]), having secondary or higher education ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) and being 18 years and above at first cohabitation ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) and at sexual debut ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) were significantly associated with fewer reports of violence during pregnancy. Pregnant women who were divorced, separated or widowed ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]), who were employed ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]), who had witnessed their fathers beat their mothers ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) and who had primary education ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) were significantly more likely to experience violence.
Conclusions: To prevent violence among pregnant women in Kenya, training health care providers should go hand in hand with interventions sensitising and mobilising community members, both addressing the socio-demographic drivers of IPV during pregnancy and directing a particular attention to the most vulnerable ones.
Keywords: Associations; Demographic and health survey; Intimate partner violence; Kenya; Pregnancy; Women’s health.
© 2022. The Author(s).
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Similar articles
-
Intimate partner violence and its associated factors among pregnant women in Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.PLoS One. 2019 May 1;14(5):e0214962. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214962. eCollection 2019. PLoS One. 2019. PMID: 31042713 Free PMC article.
-
Correlates of intimate partner violence among pregnant and parenting adolescents: a cross-sectional household survey in Blantyre District, Malawi.Reprod Health. 2023 Apr 13;20(1):60. doi: 10.1186/s12978-023-01606-y. Reprod Health. 2023. PMID: 37055778 Free PMC article.
-
Intimate partner violence against married and cohabiting women in sub-Saharan Africa: does sexual autonomy matter?Reprod Health. 2022 Mar 28;19(1):79. doi: 10.1186/s12978-022-01382-1. Reprod Health. 2022. PMID: 35346246 Free PMC article.
-
Qualitative, Interpretive Metasynthesis of Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy.J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2019 Nov;48(6):604-614. doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2019.08.002. Epub 2019 Aug 31. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2019. PMID: 31479629 Review.
-
The status of intimate partner violence against pregnant women in contemporary China: a scoping review.Womens Health Nurs. 2024 Mar;30(1):41-55. doi: 10.4069/whn.2024.03.16. Epub 2024 Mar 29. Womens Health Nurs. 2024. PMID: 38650326 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Multilevel analysis of intimate partner violence and associated factors among reproductive-age women: Kenya demographic and health survey 2022 data.BMC Public Health. 2024 Jun 1;24(1):1476. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19012-9. BMC Public Health. 2024. PMID: 38824543 Free PMC article.
-
Interpersonal violence against women and maternity care in Migori County, Kenya: evidence from a cross-sectional survey.Front Glob Womens Health. 2024 May 9;5:1345153. doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2024.1345153. eCollection 2024. Front Glob Womens Health. 2024. PMID: 38784942 Free PMC article.
-
Intimate partner violence and postpartum healthcare access in Kenya: a cross-sectional study.BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024 Feb 26;24(1):168. doi: 10.1186/s12884-024-06342-0. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024. PMID: 38409006 Free PMC article.
-
Intimate partner violence among women in Togo: a generalised structural equation modeling approach.BMJ Open. 2024 Feb 19;14(2):e077273. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077273. BMJ Open. 2024. PMID: 38373860 Free PMC article.
-
Prevalence and correlates of intimate partner sexual violence among pregnant women in Napak district, Northeastern Uganda.PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 Feb 1;4(2):e0002286. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002286. eCollection 2024. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024. PMID: 38300961 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Jewkes R. Violence against women: an emerging health problem. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2000;15:37–45. - PubMed
-
- Mutisya R, Mwachari C, Ngure K. Prevalence and risk factors for gender based violence during pregnancy in Kisumu county Kenya. East Afr Med J. 2017;94(7):524–545. doi: 10.4314/eamj.v94i7. - DOI
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical