Domestic Violence During Pregnancy: Evaluating the Impact on Maternal and Perinatal Health-A Pilot Study in Uttar Pradesh.

introductionDomestic Violence [DV] is a global health problem of pandemic proportions. WHO identifies it as psychological, physical or sexual violence or threats of the same, in the premises of one's home. The perpetrator can be husband, intimate partner, friend or a family member. DV during pregnancy has widespread implications on adverse obstetric maternal and foetal outcomes. AIM OF THE STUDY: To find out the prevalence of domestic violence in antenatal women and observe the association between DV and maternal and perinatal outcome. METHODOLOGY: It is a cohort study carried out at ELMCH, over a period of 10 months. Data were collected from pregnant women reporting to the outpatient department of obstetrics and gynaecology in their third trimester of pregnancy. The pregnancies were followed up till delivery and one week postpartum to study the obstetric and perinatal outcome. Appropriate statistical methods were applied to determine significance of the observations, and odds ratio was calculated for the risk factors.

resultsThe prevalence of DV during pregnancy was 22.2%, with psychological violence being the most common form observed. Increased relative risk was found for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, antepartum haemorrhage, recurrent urinary tract infection and preterm labour. Apgar scores of babies in affected mothers was lower, and there were significantly greater NICU admissions. This was independent of period of gestation at delivery.

conclusionDV affects at least 1/4th of antenatal women. Majority of them do not realise the extent and forms of DV and accept the violence as a routine norm of marital life. DV during pregnancy has a significant association with adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes.