Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Domestic Violence During Pregnancy and Its Effects on Birth Weight: Perspective from Nepal

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

Pregnancy is a critical period for shaping the health of both mother and her baby. Domestic violence during pregnancy is documented as a significant public health issue linked with adverse health outcomes for the newborn, such as low birth weight and preterm birth. The prevalence of violence experienced by pregnant women ranges from 0.9 to 20.1% in different societies. Violence during pregnancy accounts for approximately 15% of all gender-based violence cases in Nepal. The estimated incidence of low birth weight is 16% globally, 19% in the least developed and developing countries, and 7% in developed countries. The prevalence of low birth weight, mainly an outcome of maternal undernutrition, is relatively high in Nepal, ranging from 14 to 43%, and it is a major public health concern. Birth weight is a major predictor of infant growth and survival, and it is linked with early mortality and morbidity. It is documented that women who experienced any type of abuse—physical, sexual, or emotional—during pregnancy are more prone to give birth to a baby with lower birth weight than non-abused women. Domestic violence during pregnancy interferes with the nutritional status of women, leading to suboptimal baby weight gain. The adverse consequences of violence during pregnancy on birth outcomes are well documented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. World Health Organiztion (WHO). Violence against women: definition and scope of the Problem. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Interagency Gender Working Group. Addressing gender-based violence through USAID’S health programs: a guide for health sector program officers. Washington: Interagency Gender Working Group of U.S. Agency for International Development; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  3. United Nations. Declaration on the elimination of violence against women. (Resolution No. A/RES/48/104). 1994. Available at www.un.org/documents/ga/res/48/a48r104.htm/.

  4. Pradhananga RB, Shrestha P. Domestic violence against women in Nepal: concept, history and existing laws. Available at http://www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/domestic_violence_0607.pdf.

  5. Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) [Nepal]. New ERA, and ICF International. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey; 2011. p. 233–50.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Parvin K, Sultana N, Naved RT. Disclosure and help seeking behavior of women exposed to physical spousal violence in Dhaka slums. BMC Public Health. 2016;16(1):383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Neha P. Prevalence of gender based violence among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at health institution, Parsa district. Pokhara University; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Paudel GS. Domestic violence against women in Nepal. Gend Technol Dev. 2007;11(2):199–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Nasir K, Hyder AA. Violence against pregnant women in developing countries. Review of evidence. Eur J Pub Health. 2003;13(2):105–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. World Health Organization (WHO). Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women: WHO clinical and policy guidelines. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Taket A, Nurse J, Smith K, Watson J, Shakespeare J, Lavis V, et al. Routinely asking women about domestic violence in health settings. Br Med J. 2003;327(7416):673–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Herring J. Marriage, civil partnership, and cohabitation. In: Herring J, editor. Family law: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2014. p. 5.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. U.S Department of Justice. About domestic violence. 2007. Available at usdoj.gov.

  14. Swanson J. Acid attacks: Bangladesh’s efforts to stop the violence. Harv Health Policy Rev. 2002;3(1):82–8.

    Google Scholar 

  15. World Health Organization (WHO). The forms and contexts of violence. World report on violence and health: summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002. p. 17–8.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Follingstad DR, DeHart DD. Defining psychological abuse of husbands toward wives: contexts, behaviors, and typologies. J Interpers Violence. 2000;15(9):891–920.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. World Health Organization (WHO). Understanding and addressing intimate partner violence. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/en/.

  18. Adams AE, Sullivan CM, Bybee D, Greeson MR. Development of the scale of economic abuse. Violence Against Women. 2008;14(5):563–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. World Health Organization (WHO), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Preventing intimate partner and sexual violence against women: taking action and generating evidence. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  20. World Health Organization (WHO). WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Sapkota S. Violence against women-focus on domestic violence. Health Prospect. 2012;10:48–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. National Women’s Commission. Nepal’s implementation status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). 2011. Available at http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/NPL/INT_CEDAW_NGO_NPL_49_9799_E.pdf.

  23. SAATHI. A situational analysis of violence against women and girls in Nepal. Kathmandu: SAATHI; 1997. Available at https://childhub.org/en/child-protection-online-library/saathi-1997-situational-analysis-violence-against-women-and-girls.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Karmaliani R, Irfan F, Bann CM, McClure EM, Moss N, Pasha O, et al. Domestic violence prior to and during pregnancy among Pakistani women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2008;87(11):1194–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Deuba AR, Rana P. A study on linkage between domestic violence and pregnancy. Kathmandu: SAMANTA-Institute for Social and Gender Equity; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Chaudhary P, Chaudhary SK, Shrestha M. Prevalence of gender based violence among pregnant women: a hospital based study. Nepal J Obstet Gynaecol. 2010;5(2):17–22.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Joshi SK. Violence against women in Nepal: role of health care workers. Kathmandu Univ Med J. 2009;7(2):89–90.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Berenson AB, Wiemann CM, Wilkinson GS, Jones WA, Anderson GD. Perinatal morbidity associated with violence experienced by pregnant women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1994;170(6):1760–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Amaro H, Fried LE, Cabral H, Zuckerman B. Violence during pregnancy and substance use. Am J Public Health. 1990;80(5):575–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Jasinski JL. Pregnancy and domestic violence: a review of the literature. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2004;5(1):47–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Yost NP, Bloom SL, McIntire DD, Leveno KJ. A prospective observational study of domestic violence during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2005;106(1):61–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Boy A, Salihu HM. Intimate partner violence and birth outcomes: a systematic review. Int J Fertil Womens Med. 2004;49(4):159–64.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Ibrahim Z, Sayed W, El-Hamid S, Hagras A. Intimate partner violence among Egyptian pregnant women: incidence, risk factors, and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2015;42(2):212–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. World Health Organization (WHO). International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  35. World Health Organization (WHO). WHO technical consultation towards the development of a strategy for promoting optimal fetal growth. Report of a meeting. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Mc Comick MC. Factors associated with smoking in low income pregnant women. J Clin Epidemiol. 1990;43:441–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Pathmanathan I, Liljestrand J. Investing in maternal health: learning from Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Washington: World Bank; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Budhathoki S, Poudel P, Bhatta NK, Singh RR, Shrivastava MK, Niraula SR, et al. Clinico-epidemiological study of low birth weight newborns at Eastern part of the Nepal. Nepal Med Coll J. 2013;15(3):197–201.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Christian P, Khatry SK, Katz J, Pradhan EK, LeClerq SC, Shrestha SR, et al. Effects of alternative maternal micronutrient supplements on low birth weight in rural Nepal: double blind randomized community trial. BMJ. 2003;326:1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Grimstad H, Schei B, Backe B, Jacobsen G. Physical abuse and low birthweight: a case-control study. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1997;104(11):1281–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. O’Campo P, Gielen AC, Faden RR, Kass N. Verbal abuse and physical violence among a cohort of low-income pregnant women. Womens Health Issues. 1994;4(1):29–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Schei B, Samuelsen SO, Bakketeig LS. Does spousal physical abuse affect the outcome of pregnancy? Scand J Soc Med. 1991;19(1):26–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Parker B, McFarlane J, Soeken K. Abuse during pregnancy: effects on maternal complications and birth weight in adult and teenage women. Obstet Gynecol. 1994;84(3):323–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Cokkinides VE, Coker AL, Sanderson M, Addy C, Bethea L. Physical violence during pregnancy: maternal complications and birth outcomes. Obstet Gynecol. 1999;93(5):661–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Taft AJ, Powell RL, Watson LF. The impact of violence against women on reproductive health and child mortality in Timor-Leste. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2015;39(2):177–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Abdollahi F, Abhari FR, Delavar MA, Charati JY. Physical violence against pregnant women by an intimate partner, and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Mazandaran Province, Iran. J Fam Community Med. 2015;22(1):13–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Pavey AR, Gorman GH, Kuehn D, Stokes TA, Hisle-Gorman E. Intimate partner violence increases adverse outcomes at birth and in early infancy. J Pediatr. 2014;165(5):1034–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Gentry J, Bailey BA. Psychological intimate partner violence during pregnancy and birth outcomes: threat of violence versus other verbal and emotional abuse. Violence Vict. 2014;29(3):383–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Webster J, Sweett S, Stolz TA. Domestic violence in pregnancy: a prevalence study. Med J Aust. 1994;161(8):466–70.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Stewart DE, Cecutti A. Physical abuse in pregnancy. Can Med Assoc J. 1994;149:1257–63.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Dye TD, Tolliver NJ, Lee RV, Kenney CJ. Violence, pregnancy and birth outcomes in Appalachia. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 1995;9:35–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Martin SL, English KT, Clark AK, Cilenti D, Kupper LL. Violence and substance use among North Carolina pregnant women. Am J Public Health. 1996;86:991–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Berenson AB, Stiglich NJ, Wilkinson GS, Anderson GD. Drug abuse and other risk factors for physical abuse in pregnancy among white non-Hispanic, black and Hispanic women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1991;164:1491–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Institute of Medicine. Preventing low birth weight. Washington: National Academy Press; 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  55. McFarlane J, Parker B, Soeken K. Physical abuse, smoking, and substance use during pregnancy: prevalence, interrelationships, and effects on birth weight. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1996;25(4):313–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Koski AD, Stephenson R, Koenig MR. Physical violence by partner during pregnancy and use of prenatal care in rural India. J Health Popul Nutr. 2011;29:245–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Coker AL, Smith PH, Bethea L, King MR, McKeown RE. Physical health consequences of physical and psychological intimate partner violence. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9(5):451.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Tiwari A, Leung WC, Leung TW, Humphreys J, Parker B. A randomised controlled trial of empowerment training for Chinese abused pregnant women in Hong Kong. BJOG. 2005;112(9):1249–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Parker B, McFarlane J, Soeken K, Silva C, Reel S. Testing an intervention to prevent further abuse to pregnant women. Res Nurs Health. 1999;22(1):59–66.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Kiely M, El-Mohandes A, El-Khorazaty M, Gantz M. An integrated intervention to reduce intimate partner violence in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2010;115(2):273–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Feder G, Ramsay J, Dunne D, Rose M, Arsene C, Norman R, et al. How far does screening women for domestic (partner) violence in different health-care settings meet criteria for a screening programme? Systematic reviews of nine UK National Screening Committee criteria. Health Technol Assess. 2009;13(16):1–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Daro DA, McCurdy KP. Interventions to prevent child maltreatment. In: Doll L, Bonzo S, Sleet D, Mercy J, Haas EN, editors. Handbook of injury and violence prevention. Atlanta: Springer; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  63. World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Reproductive Health and Research. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy. Information sheet. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Buna Bhandari

Authors
  1. Buna Bhandari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Carol J. Lammi-Keefe

  2. Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Sarah C. Couch

  3. Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    John P. Kirwan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Bhandari, B. (2018). Domestic Violence During Pregnancy and Its Effects on Birth Weight: Perspective from Nepal. In: Lammi-Keefe, C., Couch, S., Kirwan, J. (eds) Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90988-2_22

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90988-2_22

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-90986-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-90988-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation