Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Function in Adolescent’s Pregnant Women and Pregnant Women aged 20 to 29 years, in Tabriz city, 2014

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a public health problem. It includes physical, psychological or sexual harm by a partner or spouse. Sexual health is having enjoyable sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence. Pregnancy influence upon IPV and sexual function. There is no certain evidence about IPV and sexual function in adolescent’s pregnant women. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and chronicity of IPV during the first six months of pregnancy and its relationship with sexual function among nuliparous adolescents, as well as its comparison with pregnant nulliparous women aged 20 to 29 years. Method: 136 women aged 15-19 years and 272 women aged 20-29 in their 24th-30th weeks of gestation, selected through stratified random sampling method from healthcare centers of Tabriz- Iran. The data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, Manne¬-Whitney U test, and indipendent sample t-test were used for data analysis. Results: The adolescents and adults reported roughly the same rate of overall IPV perpetration (72% vs. 71%, p= 0.816), and overall IPV male to female was slightly higher among the adolescents (69% vs. 62%) but the difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.144). The most common types of IPV female to male and male to female in the both groups were psychological aggression, followed by physical assault and sexual coercion. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of prevalence and chronicity of various types of IPV, except sexual coercion male to female (31% vs. 21%, p= 0.034), minor physical assault female to male (24% vs. 16% p=0.049) and chronicity of cognitive negotiation male to female in adolescent women was significantly higher than the adults (median 12 vs. 8, p = 0.017). The mean±standard deviation of total sexual function score was 25.2±5.5 and 25.3±5.9 (possible range: 2-36) in adolescent and young adult pregnant women respectively. Both groups achieved the lowest mean score in sexual desire and highest in satisfaction. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of total sexual function score and its domains. In both groups, there were statistically significant correlations between overall IPV and its domains (except sexual coercion domain) with sexual function score (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on results of this study, IPV was high among both adolescent pregnant women and women aged 20 to 29 years. There was statistically significant correlation between overall IPV and sexual function. Health policy makers and providers should have serious efforts for IPV reduction, which it can result in improvement of sexual function.