# Association of adverse pregnancy outcomes and intimate partner violence survivorship: a cross-sectional survey

## TL;DR

This study explores how experiencing intimate partner violence affects pregnancy outcomes in Jordanian women, finding that survivors face higher risks of adverse outcomes.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific regional and socioeconomic factors that influence adverse pregnancy outcomes among intimate partner violence survivors in Jordan.

## Key findings

- Women in the richest wealth quintile and those using skilled birth attendants had lower odds of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
- IPV survivors in rural areas and the Northern region had significantly higher odds of adverse outcomes and low birth weight infants.
- Findings suggest a need for targeted interventions in Northern Jordan and for women from lower wealth quintiles.

## Abstract

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are poorly understood among women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). This study examines the influence of lifetime IPV experiences and social determinants on APOs among Jordanian married women.

Cross-sectional data was examined from 4,419 women in the 2023–2024 Jordan Family and Population Health Survey. The outcome variables were APOs, LBW, and pregnancy loss (e.g., miscarriages, stillbirths). The exposure variable was lifetime IPV. Covariates were social determinants (age, education, wealth quintile, residency, regions), having children aged ≤ 5, delivering a singleton or twins/multiple births, using a skilled birth attendant (SBA), and being smokers. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, and a series of binary logistic regression was fitted, controlling for the covariates.

About 9.5% (n = 377) of women reported miscarriages, 0.8% (n = 45) induced abortions, 0.2% (n = 14) reported stillbirths, and 89.5% reported live births. Among the live births (n = 3,983), 23.7% had a baby born with LBW. Of the sample, 6.7% (n = 289) reported experiencing IPV. Of them, 86.6% (n = 245) reported delivering a live birth baby, 13.25% (n = 43) reported miscarriage/abortion, 0.1% (n = 1) reported stillbirths. Logistic regression results showed that women from the richest wealth quintile group [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.50] and those who used an SBA (aOR = 0.07) had lower odds of reporting APOs compared to their counterparts. Contrarily, the individuals living in the Northern region showed higher odds of APOs (aOR = 1.43) compared to those that live in the Central region. Among IPV victims, those in the rural areas had higher odds of APOs and LBW infants (aOR = 7.72, p = 0.001), those from the Southern region had lower odds of APO (aOR = 0.14, p = 0.030), those than the reference categories. All p-values are <0.05.

Findings highlight the need for additional research related to the pregnancy implication of women with a history of IPV, especially among those living in the Jordan's Northern region and those from poorer wealth quintile.