Association between domestic violence and unintended, terminated pregnancy and complications during pregnancy among Indian women: Findings from nationally representative survey.

BACKGROUND: Women experiencing domestic violence might have restrictions in the pregnancy-related decision-making and care-seeking process leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes. We explored the association between domestic violence and undesirable pregnancy events.

METHODS: 63,796 women aged 18-49 years covered under the domestic violence module of National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-21. Stratification and clustering in the complex sampling design of the survey were accounted in analysis. Using Poisson regression, prevalence ratio (PR) was reported to provide association of domestic violence with undesirable pregnancy events.

RESULTS: Prevalence of undesirable pregnancy events was 25.0% (95%CI: 24.4%-25.7%) amongst women aged 18-49 years. Prevalence of unintended, terminated pregnancy and complications during pregnancy was 3.2%, 5.1% and 20.9%, respectively. Women aged ≥35 years, educated, unemployed, primi or multi parity, intimate partner/husband being uneducated, facing problem with access to healthcare, belonging to large number of household members (≥4) and poorest or poorer quintile had significantly higher chance of having undesirable pregnancy events. Sexual violence (aPR: 1.11, p = 0.02) had higher chance of having undesirable pregnancy events.

CONCLUSION: One-fourth of reproductive-age group women had undesirable pregnancy events. Sexual violence was significantly associated with these events. Effective policy should protect women from domestic violence to promote maternal well-being.