Prevalence and Determinants of Domestic Violence among Attendees of an Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Delhi, India

Abstract

Apparently healthy pregnant women with a gestational age of < 20 weeks were interviewed about sociodemographic details, marital history, antenatal history and presence of domestic violence. Of the 428 pregnant women, 31.3% suffered from domestic violence. Emotional and verbal abuse (58.2%) was the most common form. Women with younger age at marriage and with assisted conception were at a higher risk for suffering from domestic violence. Pregnant wives of men with a lower level of education, unemployment or employment as unskilled labourers and addiction to alcohol and tobacco were at higher risk for domestic violence.