title: Spousal violence against pregnant women from a Bedouin community in Jordan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of spousal violence against pregnant women during their current pregnancy and investigate factors related to violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was performed with 303 pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics in Al-Mafraq, northern desert of Jordan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of violence (any type) during pregnancy was 40.9%. Physical violence was the highest (34.7 %), followed by psychologic violence (28.1%) and sexual violence (15.5%). Women who resided in the city (odds ratio [OR] 1.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-2.79), had six or more pregnancies including the current one (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.45-20.0), had four or more female children (OR 4.03, 95% CI 1.3- 11.9) and were under pressure to have a male child (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.07- 3.08) were more likely to be exposed to violence during pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study attempted to shed light on some of the cultural dimensions behind spousal violence, especially preference for male children. This study is important to the Jordanian and Arab communities in their efforts to protect women's rights and in designing interventions against domestic and spousal violence.
authors.affiliation: Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. aokour@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Abdelhakeem M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Okour
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Badarneh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult