Phenotypes of intimate partner violence among women experiencing infertility in Kano, Northwest Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) among women attending a large urban fertility clinic in Kano, Nigeria.

METHODS

Interviewers administered questionnaires to a cross-section of women attending an infertility clinic in Northwest Nigeria, regarding their experience of IPV and associated factors.

RESULTS

In total, 373 individuals were interviewed. Of the individuals interviewed, 134 (35.9%; 95% confidence Interval [CI] 31.1%-41.0%) had experienced at least one form of IPV in the preceding year. Of the 134 patients who had encountered violence, 126 (94.0%), 111 (82.8%), 47 (35.1%), and 25 (18.7%) had experienced psychological, sexual, verbal, and physical forms of violence, respectively. Of the affected individuals, 34 (25.4%) experienced multiple forms of violence, with spouses being the main perpetrators. A lack of formal education (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.21; 95%CI 1.21-7.43), employment in the informal sector (OR 2.01; 95%C: 1.02-4.52), and having an unemployed spouse (OR 1.56; 95%CI 1.02-3.15) or one with low level of education (OR 2.32; 95%CI 1.87-4.21) were independently associated with IPV.

CONCLUSION

In this setting, women who were infertile experienced a high incidence of IPV. Women presenting at fertility clinics should be screened for IPV and provided with links to appropriate support services.