Extended Postpartum Intimate Partner Violence and Its Associated Factors Among Iranian Women: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study Design Publisher Pubmed



Ghelichkhani F^{1, 2} ; Behboodimoghadam Z¹ ; Zareiyan A³ ; Namazi M¹ Show Affiliations
Source: International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics Published:2025

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and factors associated with it during the postpartum period. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 428 women were enrolled from 10 health centers in the south of Tehran, Iran, between April 2023 and October 2023. We used a sociodemographic questionnaire, Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), the short form of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) for data collection. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to determine demographic and psychological predictors of IPV after childbirth. Results: Approximately two-thirds of women (n=285, 66.6%) experienced IPV within 1 year of childbirth. Psychological aggression (n= 276, 64.5%) was the most common type of IPV, whereas injury (n=96, 22.4%) was the least common. Additionally, one in three women experienced physical assault (n= 134, 31.3%), and over one-third experienced sexual coercion (n= 152, 35.5%). Predictor factors of IPV during the postpartum period were: insufficient family income (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24–15.28), husband's smoking (aOR 3.17, 95% CI 1.70–5.92), history of IPV in pregnancy (aOR 2.44, 95% CI 1.33–4.50), number of children (aOR 3.02, 95% CI 1.79–5.10), and depression (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.08–1.14). On the other hand, protective factors of IPV during the postpartum period were: longer marriage duration (aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77–0.93) and greater resilience (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90–0.99). Conclusion: IPV is prevalent 1 year after childbirth. Healthcare providers should implement a thorough screening program to identify risk and protective factors related to postpartum IPV. © 2024 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.