Spousal violence and pregnancy termination among married women in Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
In Nigeria, the relationship between spousal violence and pregnancy termination had not been adequately explored.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of spousal violence, and examine the relationship between spousal violence and pregnancy termination.


METHODS
Data on spousal violence among ever married women was extracted from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable is pregnancy termination. The explanatory variables were the type of spousal violence experienced by the women in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Descriptive statistical analysis and binary logistic regression were applied using stata version 12.


RESULTS
Results show that 13.8% of women had ever terminated pregnancy; 19.9% had ever experienced at least one type of spousal violence; and women who had ever terminated pregnancy had higher prevalence of all types of spousal violence. Women who had ever experienced spousal physical violence were 9% more likely to experience pregnancy termination (OR=1.09; CI: 1.03-2.86); and women who had ever experienced spousal emotional violence were 33% more likely to experience pregnancy termination (OR=1.33; CI: 0.97-1.95).


CONCLUSIONS
Spousal violence is significantly related to pregnancy termination. Improving women's sexual and reproductive health in the country requires fresh initiatives that address spousal violence to further reduce women's exposure to pregnancy termination.
Demography and Social Statistics. Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife 220005, Nigeria.
Solanke Lukman
SL
Bola
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003906:Developing Countries; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009549:Nigeria; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
Nigeria; Spousal violence; married women; pregnancy termination