Violence Against Women

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature and extent of violence against pregnant women and its possible association with low birth weight and premature infants in Cuidad Jurez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Study design: A total of 450 medically documented pregnant women who received prenatal care at a selected prenatal hospital-based clinic in Jurez, Chihuahua, Mexico were interviewed about their experiences of physical/ sexuall/ and/or emotional abuse and other health related questions. Results: The age of interviewed women ranged between 14 to 46 years, most of the participants had at least 6 years of education and the majority were living in a cohabitating relationship. Women reported numerous cases of violence, with 32 reporting being physically abused, 76 reporting being emotionally abused, 9 reporting being sexually abused and 8 reporting being sexually harassed during their current or previous pregnancies.