title: Domestic abuse--an antenatal survey at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine exposure to domestic violence by a partner or spouse among pregnant women attending a public sector hospital in Durban, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred and four randomly chosen women from a low-income community were interviewed over a 6-month period using a standardised questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight per cent had experienced domestic violence at some point in their lives. Physical abuse (52%) was the most common, and 35% had been abused during the current pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Domestic violence is common in pregnancy among women attending a public sector hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Research Council/University of Natal Pregnancy Hypertension Research Unit, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbokota
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moodley
mesh_terms: D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology