Violence against women in Mexico: a study of abuse before and during pregnancy

Roberto Castro; Corinne Peek-Asa; Agustin Ruiz

doi:10.2105/AJPH.93.7.1110

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Violence against women in Mexico: a study of abuse before and during pregnancy

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Violence against women in Mexico: a study of abuse before and during pregnancy

Roberto Castro, Corinne Peek-Asa and Agustin Ruiz

American journal of public health (1971), Vol.93(7), pp.1110-1116

07/2003

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.93.7.1110

PMCID: PMC1447918

PMID: 12835194

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https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.93.7.1110View

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Abstract

We identified the prevalence and types of violence experienced by pregnant women, the ways victimization changed during pregnancy from the year prior to pregnancy, and factors associated with violence during pregnancy. We interviewed 914 pregnant women treated in health clinics in Mexico about violence during and prior to pregnancy, violence during childhood and against their own children, and other socioeconomic indicators. Approximately one quarter of the women experienced violence during pregnancy. The severity of emotional violence increased during pregnancy, whereas physical and sexual violence decreased. The strongest predictors of abuse were violence prior to pregnancy, low socioeconomic status, parental violence witnessed by women in childhood, and violence in the abusive partner's childhood. The probability of violence during pregnancy for women experiencing all of these factors was 61%. Violence is common among pregnant women, but pregnancy does not appear to be an initiating factor. Intergenerational violence is highly predictive of violence during pregnancy.

Adult

Battered Women - psychology

Battered Women - statistics & numerical data

Child

Child Abuse - psychology

Crime Victims - psychology

Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data

Female

Humans

Interviews as Topic

Mexico - epidemiology

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Trimester, Third

Pregnant Women - psychology

Prenatal Care - statistics & numerical data

Prevalence

Probability

Risk Factors

Severity of Illness Index

Socioeconomic Factors

Spouse Abuse - classification

Spouse Abuse - statistics & numerical data

Details

Title: Subtitle: Violence against women in Mexico: a study of abuse before and during pregnancy
Creators: Roberto Castro - Regional Center of Multidisciplinary Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Cuernavaca. Morelos. rcastro@servidor.unam.mx
Corinne Peek-Asa
Agustin Ruiz
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of public health (1971), Vol.93(7), pp.1110-1116
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.93.7.1110
PMID: 12835194
PMCID: PMC1447918
NLM abbreviation: Am J Public Health
ISSN: 0090-0036
eISSN: 1541-0048
Grant note: R49 CCR 903622 / ODCDC CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 07/2003
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Nursing; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984215042002771

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93 Times Cited - Web of Science