Intimate partner violence, social support and depression in pregnant women in Nigeria

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a risk factor for depression both during and after pregnancy in many communities. The prevalence of domestic violence is common in Kano, Nigeria. Poor social support has been associated with depression. The specific aim of this section was to assess IPV, social support, and association with depression in a group of rural and urban pregnant women. The study was part of a larger study that assessed antenatal women at urban and rural sites using a sociodemographic questionnaire, a Hits Domestic Violence Screening Instrument, a Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, a MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview -7, and other instruments. The prevalence of antenatal depression was 23.7%. Fifty percent of the depressed women, as compared to only 7% of nondepressed, had been victims of IPV. IPV was a predictor of antenatal depression in the whole sample and the urban women. Regardless of how long ago IPV occurred, it still served as a significant factor in causing antenatal depression. IPV is a significant predictor of antenatal depression.