Intimate P artner Violence and Unintended Pregnancy in Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine

Abstract

Objectives: The study examines the relationship between intimate partner violence and unintended pregnancy in three countries of the former Soviet Union, where abortions were safe, easily available to women, and often used as a form of birth control. Methods: The study uses data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Moldova (2005), Azerbaijan (2006), and Ukraine (2007). The original sample size is restricted to ever-married (or cohabitating) women of reproductive age (N=1,620 in Azerbaijan, N=1,377 in Moldova, and N=545 in Ukraine) who completed the survey‟s Domestic Violence Module and who had a pregnancy in the past five years. Using multinomial logistic regression, the study compares outcomes of last pregnancy (wanted birth, unintended birth, and abortion) by exposure to lifetime intimate partner violence committed by the most recent partner. Results: Women who ever experienced physical or sexual violence from their partners showed consistently higher risks of unintended pregnancy across the three countries. After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, lifetime contraceptive use, and previous use of abortions, the study found that women with a history of intimate partner violence demonstrated higher risks of their last pregnancy ending in abortion (aRRR=2.1, 95% CI=1.4, 3.2 in Azerbaijan and aRRR=1.6, 95% CI=1.1, 2.3 in Moldova) or in unwanted live birth (aRRR=4.8, 95% CI=1.8, 12.7 in Ukraine). Conclusions: Women exposed to physical or sexual violence from their partners demonstrated significantly higher risks of unintended pregnancy compared with women never exposed to intimate partner violence. The study emphasizes the need for developing programs that integrate reproductive health and intimate partner violence components to reduce the risk of unintended births and abortions among women living with abusive partners in countries of the former Soviet Union.

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