Fariyal F Fikree, Sadiqua N Jafarey, Razia Korejo, Anjum Afshan, Jill M Durocher.
Intimate partner violence before and during pregnancy: experiences of.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;56(6):252-7.

postpartum women in Karachi, Pakistan Objective: To assess the magnitude and determinants of intimate partner violence before and during pregnancy and attitude regarding domestic violence among a cohort of recently delivered women in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: A total of 300 women occupying every alternate bed in the postnatal wards of a public tertiary hospital were administered a structured questionnaire. Results: Forty four percent (44%) of women reported lifetime marital physical abuse, 23% during the index pregnancy. Among the 132 women who were ever physically abused, all reported verbal abuse and 36% sexual coercion. The statistically significant risk factors, wife`s education, consanguinity, and duration of marriage, were similar for lifetime marital abuse and during pregnancy. Over half (55%) of the women believed that antenatal care clinics were a good time to enquire about domestic violence. Conclusion: Annually an estimated one million pregnant Pakistani women are physically abused at least once during pregnancy. Reproductive health stakeholders should be encouraged to advocate for domestic violence screening (JPMA 56:252;2006).

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