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Spousal violence against Egyptian women and its impact on reproductive indicators
Authors: Eman M. M. Monazea and Ekram M. Abdel Khalek
Source: Journal of American Science, 2011;7(6), pages 612-622.
Topic(s): Domestic violence
Reproductive health
Country: Africa
  Egypt
Published: MAY 2011
Abstract: Abstract: Domestic violence against women is increasingly recognized as a global problem. It poses a direct threat to women's health and has serious reproductive health consequences. The study aims to identify the relationship between women exposure to spousal violence and some reproductive health indicators. Data from the 2005 Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) were secondary analyzed for 5,613 ever-married women aged 15-49 years. The results revealed that more than three in ten women had an experience with any form of spousal violence. Fertility was higher among women have experienced violence than among women who have not (mean number of children ever born was 3.4±2.1 versus 2.9 ± 2.4). Total family planning need was higher among women who have experienced violence than among women who have not. Self reported prevalence of sexually transmitted infections was higher among women who have ever or recently experienced violence than women who have not (21.4%, 26.1% versus. 18.5%). It is concluded that marital violence is related to various negative reproductive health outcomes. Violence against women is a vicious circle that needs to be broken. Actions must be taken to make women and men understand that violence against women is not legitimate or acceptable and that everybody pays a high price for it.