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. 2022 Mar 2;19(1):58.
doi: 10.1186/s12978-021-01276-8.

Women's strategies for managing domestic violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study in Iran

Malikeh Amel Barez  1   2 , Raheleh Babazadeh  2   3 , Robab Latifnejad Roudsari  2   3 , Mojtaba Mousavi Bazaz  4 , Khadigeh Mirzaii Najmabadi  5   6
Affiliations

Women's strategies for managing domestic violence during pregnancy: a qualitative study in Iran

Malikeh Amel Barez et al. Reprod Health. .

Abstract

Background: Domestic violence during pregnancy is a severe public health problem. Abused pregnant women are confronted with the threats posed by domestic violence. Pregnancy and protection of the unborn child could affect maternal strategies for managing violence. The purpose of this study was to explore Iranian women's strategies for managing domestic violence during pregnancy.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in October 2019 to June 2021 in Mashhad, Iran. Data were collected through individual semi structured interviews with 13 women who experienced perinatal domestic violence, two relatives and 24 related specialists as well as two focus group discussions with attendance of 20 abused mothers until the data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed by the conventional content analysis approach of Graneheim and Lundman.

Results: The main themes "escape strategies" and "situation improvement strategies" were emerged as the result of data analysis. Escape strategies was comprised of three categories including concealment, passive dysfunctional behaviors and neutral behaviors to control maternal emotional distress. Situation improvement strategies was comprised of three categories including active self-regulation, protecting family privacy and help seeking to control violence.

Conclusion: Understanding the experience of managing domestic violence among pregnant women is essential to design evidence based violence prevention programs, which enable supportive healthcare and social systems to encourage abused mothers to use more effective strategies and seeking help to overcome domestic violence.

Keywords: Coping strategy; Domestic violence; Pregnancy; Qualitative study.

Plain language summary

Domestic violence during pregnancy threatens the health of the mother and the fetus. Mothers who experience domestic violence often use several strategies to decrease the violence. This study sought women's experiences in managing domestic violence during pregnancy. 13 women who experienced perinatal domestic violence, one daughter, one husband and 24 specialists as well as two focus group discussions with attendance of 20 abused mothers were interviewed in Mashhad in the north east of Iran. The results showed abused mothers used escape strategies and situation improvement strategies for managing domestic violence. Mostly abused mothers used emotion oriented strategies such as escape strategies for managing violence. These strategies included of concealment, passive dysfunctional behaviors and neutral behaviors. Some mothers with regard to individual decision-making and individual abilities tried to improve their situation by active self-regulation, protecting family privacy and help seeking. The results of these various strategies vary from reducing domestic violence to not changing the intensity of the violence or intensifying the perinatal domestic violence. In conclusion: inappropriate strategies against domestic violence could be threatening for fetal and maternal safety and appropriate strategies should be considered in perinatal education. Understanding the experience of managing domestic violence among abused pregnant women is essential to design evidence based domestic violence prevention strategies and programs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that no potential conflict of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article exists.

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