Partner violence and associated factors among pregnant women in Nkangala district, Mpumalanga

Objectives. To determine the prevalence of physical partner violence and associated factors among pregnant women in Nkangala district, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Design. In a cross-sectional study, 1 502 pregnant women systematically selected at primary health care facilities were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Results. Almost 9% of the subjects reported experiencing physical partner violence in the past 6 months. About 19% of the women tested positive for HIV, 12.6% reported that their partners were HIV positive, and 17.3% reported having had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) other than HIV in the past 12 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that having 1 - 3 (odds ratio (OR) 2.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16 - 4.35) and 4 or more children (OR 8.00, 95% CI 2.92 - 21.96), concern that the partner drinks too much (OR 4.50, CI 2.49 - 8.00), having had an STI (other than HIV) in the past 12 months (OR 1.95, CI 1.07 - 3.58), and experiencing severe psychological distress (OR 2.02, CI 1.06 - 3.85) were significantly associated with physical partner violence in the past 6 months. Conclusion. Physical partner violence among pregnant women in this predominantly rural setting is moderately common. Factors identified as associated with physical partner violence can be taken into consideration in partner violence interventions. S Afr J OG 2012;18(3):77-81. DOI:10.7196/SAJOG.469