Factors Associated With Violence by an Intimate Partner in Pregnant Women From the South of Brazil

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can result in physical, psychological or sexual harm. Thus, the objective of this study was to verify the factors associated with IPV in pregnant women in southern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the research project entitled 'Mental health and living conditions of pregnant women receiving care in Primary Health Care', carried out with pregnant women attending Basic Health Units in the municipality of Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil. IPV was assessed using the World Health Organization Violence Against Women questionnaire. A total of 353 pregnant women with intimate partners participated. Most were aged 20 to 29 years, white, living with a partner, and with 9 to 11 years of schooling. The majority reported a household income between 1.001 and 2.000 reais. Lifestyle characteristics revealed a small proportion of smokers, alcohol consumers, and physically active women. Regarding prenatal care, most attended six or more consultations, and more than half reported unplanned pregnancies. Overall, 13.6% of the women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Among the types of violence, psychological IPV was the most frequent (12.2%), followed by physical (3.1%) and sexual violence (3.1%). In crude analyses, younger age and low income were related to higher prevalence of IPV. Women with income ≤500 reais had significantly higher odds of suffering violence compared to those earning more than 2.000 reais. In the final adjusted model, income remained associated, with women in the lowest income category showing a 4.30-fold increased likelihood of experiencing IPV. These findings reinforce the role of socioeconomic vulnerability as a determinant of IPV during pregnancy. The findings show that IPV is present during pregnancy and point to low income as a risk factor for this outcome.