Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence is a significant public health issue that affects maternal and neonatal health worldwide. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the prevalence of intimate partner violence during pregnancy as well as the factors that contribute to it. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of intimate partner violence on birth outcomes. METHODS: International databases including Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and CINAHL were used to search primary studies. The quality and strength of the included studies were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale quality assessment tool. The studies heterogeneity and publication biases were assessed using I(2) statistics and Egger’s regression test. The Meta-analysis was carried out using STATA version 16 software. RESULTS: A total of nine hundred and fifty-eight articles were retrieved from various databases, and seventeen articles were included in the review. The pooled prevalence of intimate violence during pregnancy in Ethiopia was 32.23% (95% CI 28.02% -36.45%). During pregnancy, intimate partner violence was a significant predictor of low birth weight (AOR: 3.69, 95%CI 1.61–8.50) and preterm birth (AOR: 2.23, 95%CI 1.64–3.04). CONCLUSION: One in every three pregnant women experiences intimate partner violence. Women who experienced intimate partner violence during their pregnancy are more likely to experience adverse outcomes such as premature delivery and low birth weight infants.