Social support reduces the risk of unintended pregnancy in a low-income population

Association between intimate partner violence and pregnancy intention: evidence from the Peruvian demographic and health survey

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) in Peru represents a significant public health challenge. IPV can influence women's reproductive and social behaviors, undermining fertility control, and exacerbating unintended pregnancies. Our objective was to assess the association between IPV and pregnancy intention among Peruvian women of reproductive age.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of Peru's 2020 Demographic and Family Health Survey data. The independent variable in this study was IPV against women, which includes psychological IPV, sexual IPV, and physical IPV. If a respondent experienced any of these three forms of IPV, the IPV variable was labeled as "yes"; if none were present, it was labeled as "no". The dependent variable was pregnancy intention (no vs. yes). We utilized a generalized linear model (GLM) from the Poisson family with a log link function to assess the relationship between IPV occurrences (total and each IPV type) and pregnancy intention. We report crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 8466 women aged 15 to 49. The prevalence of any IPV was 49.6% (psychological IPV: 45.8%; physical IPV: 22.2%; and sexual IPV: 4.3%). Exposure to physical IPV (aPR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.07), psychological IPV (aPR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02-1.06), and sexual IPV (aPR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04-1.13), as well as a history of any IPV (aPR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.07), were associated with a higher probability of not intending to become pregnant. This association persisted after adjusting for confounders like age, marital status, educational attainment, education level of the child's father, place of residence, wealth, ethnicity, and parity.

CONCLUSION

One in two Peruvian women reported experiencing IPV. An association was observed between IPV exposure and a higher probability of not holding an intention to become pregnant.

Association between adverse childhood experience and unintended pregnancy among Japanese women: a large-scale cross-sectional study

Unintended pregnancy (UP) can negatively impact the health of mothers, children, and families. While Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are increasingly known to affect sexual health, the influence on pregnancy intention is not fully understood. This study examines the relationship between ACEs and UP and explores other related factors, using 5049 pregnant and postpartum women data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS). We measured participants' pregnancy intentions, ACEs, family functioning, and social network size. Logistic regression analysis provided odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The prevalence of UP was approximately 16.5% (n = 893). Cumulative ACEs were consistently associated with UP, even after adjusting for intermediate variables in adulthood. The odds ratio for UP with a single ACE was 1.00 (CI: 0.82-1.21) but rose significantly with multiple ACEs: 1.39 (CI: 1.10-1.76) with double, 1.38 (CI: 1.02-2.86) with triple, and 1.81 (CI: 1.37-2.39) with more. Additionally, bad family functioning and lack of social networks emerged as contributors to UP. In conclusion, this study showed that ACEs are potentially correlated with UP. A deeper understanding of the transition from childhood experiences to UP is important for health interventions, necessitating further investigation.

Women's experiences of social support during pregnancy: a qualitative systematic review

BACKGROUND

Social support during pregnancy can alleviate emotional and physical pressures, improving the well-being of mother and child. Understanding women's lived experiences and perceptions of social support during pregnancy is imperative to better support women. This systematic review explores and synthesises the qualitative research on women's experiences of social support during pregnancy.

METHODS

Databases PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo and Scopus were searched with no year limit. Eligible studies included pregnant women or women who were up to one year postpartum and were assessed on their experiences of social support during pregnancy. The data were synthesised using the thematic synthesis approach.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included with data from 571 participating women across ten countries; two studies used focus groups, and 12 used interviews to collect their data. Four main themes were developed ('a variety of emotional support', 'tangible and intangible instrumental support', 'traditional rituals and spiritual support', and 'the all-encompassing natal home'), and six sub-themes ('female network connections', 'care and affection from the husband', 'dissatisfaction with relationships', 'financial support from the husband and family', 'practical support from family and friends', 'health information support').

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review sheds light on women's experiences of social support during pregnancy. The results indicate a broad variety of emotional support experienced and valued by pregnant women from different sources. Additionally, women expressed satisfaction and dissatisfaction with tangible and intangible support forms. It was also highlighted that spirituality played an essential role in reducing stress and offering coping mechanisms for some, whereas spirituality increased stress levels for others.

Unintended pregnancy and childhood maltreatment: The protective effect of positive relationships

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment is associated with sexual risk-taking behaviors in adulthood but can also have generational effects on maternal/child health.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect and unintended pregnancy, and then assessed the effect of relationship attributes on this outcome.

RESULTS

Findings indicate parenting women (n = 153) in long-term relationships who experienced childhood emotional abuse had higher scores of unintended pregnancies (p = .023). Yet women with moderate/high partner appraisal (perceptions of their partner's attributes used to assess interpersonal conflicts) showed no difference in unintended pregnancies between those with and without emotional abuse in childhood. Women with emotional abuse and low partner appraisal had higher unintended pregnancy scores (p = .002).

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

This study has implications for public health nursing and life course research demonstrating that a positive adult interpersonal environment can reduce the sequelae of adverse health outcomes associated with childhood emotional abuse. The results reinforce the importance of screening adults for childhood maltreatment to establish early risk for unintended pregnancy.