Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and risk of still birth in hospitals of Tigray region Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy may represent a time of exceptional vulnerability to intimate partner violence because of changes in women’s conditions. Despite the fact that intimate partner violence during pregnancy confers considerable risk to the health of the woman and her fetus, data regarding to association of stillbirth and intimate partner violence is lacking in Tigray region. The objective of this study is to assess intimate partner violence during pregnancy and its association with still birth among postpartum mothers in hospitals in Tigray Region of Ethiopia. METHODS: Cross-sectional study design was used to assess 648 women about intimate partner violence during pregnancy and its association with still birth. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select health facilities and systematic sampling was used to select the study participants. Data was entered by using Epi info version 3.5.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Logistic regression analysis was done to assess the association between exposure to intimate partner violence during pregnancy and stillbirth while adjusting for possible confounders. RESULTS: The prevalence of still birth was 3.6%in this study population. There was a statistically significant association between exposure to intimate partner violence during pregnancy and still birth. Pregnant women who were exposed to intimate partner violence during pregnancy were three times more likely to have still birth 3.3(95% CI: 1.1–9.7) as compared to those who were not exposed. Another important factor associated with stillbirth was low birthweight 16.7(95% CI,6–46). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of still birth in this study was high. Women who subjected to intimate partner violence during pregnancy had greater risk of having stillbirth baby.