Physical Abuse Common During Pregnancy in South Asia, Studies Find
Abstract: Population Council researchers recently completed studies in Pakistan and Nepal of attitudes and behaviors surrounding violence against women during pregnancy. These investigations were some of the first of their kind in South Asia.
They probed the level of awareness of domestic violence among obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) in Karachi, Pakistan, and of OB/GYNs, assistant nurse midwives, and traditional birth attendants in Kathmandu, Nepal. Postpartum women in Karachi and Kathmandu were surveyed to augment knowledge about the scope, context, and consequences of violence faced by pregnant women.
Although preliminary and limited to two urban areas, the studies suggest a high level of physical abuse during pregnancy and provide some empirical basis for developing realistic interventions to protect the lives of women and their children.
URL: http://www.popcouncil.org/publications/popbriefs/pb11(3)_1.html
