Influence of intimate partner violence on mental status in Japanese women during the first trimester of pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: We examined the relation between intimate partner violence (IVP) and maternal mental status such as depression and anxiety.

Methods: Between April 2016 and October 2016, we asked all Japanese women during the first trimester of pregnancy to answer the three self-administered questionnaires to screen IVP and depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Results: There were 19 women who had a high score in the modified Violence Against Women Screen (VAWS) (4.1%, IPV group) and 408 women who had a score 0 (86.8%, control group). Overall, the rate of the women with depressive, anxiety, and depressive plus anxiety symptoms were 21.3, 31.5, and 16.0%, respectively. The rate of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms in the IPV group were significantly higher than those in the control group (Odds ratio = 5.02 and 7.40, p < .01 by X² test).

Conclusions: The significant adverse effect of IPV on maternal mental status seemed to be observed in Japanese women during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Keywords:

• Intimate partner violence
• depressive symptom
• anxiety symptom
• first trimester of pregnancy
• Japan

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.