Does sexual Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) increase risk of multiple high-risk fertility behaviours in India: evidence from National Family Health Survey 2015–16

Abstract

Background One in three women from lower and middle-income countries are subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) in their life span. Prior studies have highlighted a range of adverse health impacts of sexual IPV. However, less is known about the link between multiple high-risk fertility behaviours and sexual intimate partner violence. The present study examines the statistical association between multiple high-risk fertility behaviours and sexual intimate partner violence among women in India. Methods The present study used a nationally representative dataset, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 2015–16. A total of 23,597 women were included in the study; a subsample of married women of reproductive age who have had at least one child 5 years prior to the survey and who had valid information about sexual IPV. Logistic regression models were employed alongside descriptive statistics. Results Approximately 7% of women who are or had been married face sexual IPV. The prevalence of sexual violence was higher among women who had short birth intervals and women who had given birth more than three times (12%). Around 11% of women who had experienced any high-risk fertility behaviours also experienced sexual violence. The unadjusted association suggested that multiple high-risk fertility behaviours were 32% (UORs = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.16–1.50) higher for those women who experienced sexual violence. After adjusting for other sociodemographic variables, except for women’s education and wealth quantile, the odds of multiple high-risk fertility behaviours were 16% (AOR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.02–1.34) higher among women who faced sexual violence. The inclusion of women’s educational attainment and wealth status in the model made the association between sexual IPV and high-risk fertility behaviours insignificant. Conclusion Sexual intimate partner violence is statistically associated with high-risk fertility behaviours among women in India. Programs and strategies designed to improve women’s reproductive health should investigate the different dimensions of sexual IPV in India.

Multiple high-risk fertility behaviours and children under five mortality survivors among ever-married women of reproductive age in Nigeria

“…The eligible respondents selection process is shown in figure 1 below. All women who had never been married or were childless were excluded from this study [ 20 ]. The DHS datasets used in this study are publicly available on the DHS website and can be downloaded for free upon request via https://dhsprogram.com/data/available-datasets.cfm .…”

“…The response of Yes or No to each of these questions in the survey was used to generate the outcome variable in this study. MHRFBs were coded Yes (1) if a woman responded Yes to at least two of the above criteria and No (0) otherwise [ 20 ].…”

Trends, patterns and predictors of high-risk fertility behaviour among Indian women: evidence from National Family Health Survey

“…Another study conducted in India reported that sexual intimate partner violence is statistically associated with high-risk fertility behaviours among women in India. The same study also found that engaging in high-risk fertility behaviours is influenced by various factors, such as the mother’s level of education, rural residence, religion, prenatal care, and contraceptive use [ 36 ]. Some other studies have examined the association of HRFB with chronic undernutrition and under-five mortality in India [ 37 , 38 ].…”

Association between sexual violence and multiple high-risk fertility behaviours among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Literature shows that a plethora of individual and contextual factors contribute to women's experience of highrisk fertility behavior. For instance, Das et al [8] reported that increasing age and rural residency are significant risk factors for MHRFB. Another study has demonstrated that IPV exacerbates shorter birth interval, which is a component of MHRFB [9].…”