[Partner violence against pregnant women in Mexico City].
OBJECTIVE
To assess factors related to partner violence against pregnant women.


METHODS
Data were collected from 383 pregnant women eligible attending five family medicine units of the Mexican institute of social security in Mexico City, Mexico, between September 2003 and August 2004. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire developed for the study.


RESULTS
Of all women interviewed, 120 (31.1%) reported that they had been exposed to psychological and/or physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by their partners during the current pregnancy; 10% reported combined violence and 21% isolated violence. Psychological violence was most frequently reported (in 93% of the "experienced violence" group). As for their perception of violence there was not found any significant differences between those women who had experienced versus those who did not experience violence. Only about 20% of women had knowledge of centers for women victims of violence. The factors significantly associated with partner violence among pregnant women included: being single (OR=3.02; 95% CI: 1.17;7.83), being unmarried and living with a partner (OR=2.22; 95% CI: 1.11;4.42), history of violence during childhood (OR= 3.08; 95% CI: 1.62;5.85), alcohol consumption by the partner (OR=1.87; 95% CI: 1.02;3.42) and emotional distress among women (OR=4.17; 95% CI: 1.12;15.51).


CONCLUSIONS
The study results stress other research findings that violence against pregnant Mexican women is still common.
Doubova Dubova
Svetlana Vladislavovna
SV
Unidad de investigación Epidemiológica y en Servicios de Salud, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, DF, México.
Pámanes-González
Verónica
V
Billings
Deborah L
DL
Torres-Arreola
Laura del Pilar
Ldel P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*