IPV victimization in pregnancy increases postpartum STI incidence among adolescent mothers in Durban, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Women, and specifically, adolescents, are at high risk of HIV and STIs during the postpartum period. Biological and behavioral factors contribute to adolescents’ susceptibility. However, the influence of behavioral factors, like intimate partner violence (IPV), on postpartum STI acquisition has been understudied. The study’s purpose is to determine whether IPV victimization during pregnancy predicts incident STIs in the first 6 months postpartum. Adolescent mothers (14–19 years) were recruited at a township hospital’s maternity ward near Durban. Adolescent mothers who were HIV-negative and had no laboratory-diagnosed STIs at baseline (6 weeks postpartum) were included in the analysis (n = 61). We used a modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors to assess differences in postpartum STI risk by IPV victimization during pregnancy controlling for covariates. At baseline, 25 (41%) adolescent mothers reported IPV victimization during pregnancy. Adolescent mothers who reported IPV during pregnancy were at higher risk of receiving an STI diagnoses at 6 months postpartum (aRR: 4.43; 95% CI: 1.31–14.97). Our findings heighten understanding of HIV risk among a vulnerable subset of adolescent girls: adolescent mothers. Non-combined interventions that help young mothers and their partners navigate partnership dynamics to reduce IPV and STIs are needed to reduce HIV risk.

KEYWORDS:

• STI
• HIV
• postpartum
• adolescent mothers
• sub-Saharan Africa

Acknowledgements

The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State or JSI. All listed authors provided significant contributions to the work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID

Luz McNaughton Reyes http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8696-9140

Additional information

Funding

The parent study was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of State (S-LMAQM-16-CA-1103) as part of the DREAMS Innovation Challenge, managed by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI).