Investigating the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and Unintended Pregnancy in India: The Impact of Partner Controlling Behaviors and Sexual Empowerment as Moderators

Priyanka Kumari, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
R. Nagrajan, international Institute for Population Sciences

This study examines the association between women's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and unintended pregnancy in India. Additionally, it explores whether husbands' controlling behaviors and women's sexual empowerment moderate this relationship. We used nationally representative data from the recent round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). Among 3013 women aged 18-49, the prevalence of unintended pregnancy was 10.7% and 22% experienced any form of IPV. After controlling for confounding factors, women who experienced IPV were 8% (OR: 92; 95%CI: 0.87-0.99) less likely to report using contraceptives than those who did not. Women who were aged 25-34, working, with higher parity, belonging to other backward classes, in rural regions and poorest/poorer quintiles had significantly higher unintended pregnancy. Women who experienced physical/any form of violence (OR: 2.52; 95%CI: 1.12-5.61) had higher likelihood of unintended pregnancy. Women who experienced any form of IPV and whose husbands endorsed controlling attitudes were 14% (OR 1.14; 95%CI: 1.05-1.26) more likely to have unintended pregnancy. However, sexually empowered women were 13% (OR 0.87; 95%CI: 0.74-0.95) less likely to have unintended pregnancy. The key factors identified in our study should be integrated into the counselling practices to reduce the IPV and its impact on the victims.

Keywords: Gender Dynamics, Population and Development, Health and Morbidity

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