Prevalence, determinants, and effects of violence during pregnancy: A maternity-based cross-sectional study in Luanda, Angola


Submitted: 14 February 2019
Accepted: 17 August 2019
Published: 20 March 2020
Abstract Views: 894
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Authors

  • Tazi Nimi Faculty of Medicine of the University Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola; EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
  • Silvia Fraga EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto; Department of Public Health, Forensic Sciences and Medical Education, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.
  • Diogo Costa EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
  • Paulo Campos Faculty of Medicine of the University Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola.
  • Henrique Barros EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto; Department of Public Health, Forensic Sciences and Medical Education, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.

Information on the extent of violence against women is scarce in Angola. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of violence against pregnant women in Angola and to identify its sociodemographic determinants and effects on pregnancy outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2012 and February 2013, involving 995 women who delivered at a Maternity in Luanda, Angola. Information was collected through questionnaires administered by interviewers. The prevalence of violence during pregnancy was 13.0%. Exclusively physical, psychological or sexual violence was reported by 4.3%, 7.7% and 0.2% of the women, respectively. After adjustment, the occurrence of physical violence decreased with increasing age and education, and was more common among women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, while psychological violence was significantly more frequent among women aged 20 to 24 years and those who had their first sexual intercourse before the age of 15, and less frequent among those who were married or in cohabitation. This first study describing violence against pregnant Angolan women showed that violence is a frequent event, supporting that violence assessment should be considered in antenatal care.


Nimi, T., Fraga, S., Costa, D., Campos, P., & Barros, H. (2020). Prevalence, determinants, and effects of violence during pregnancy: A maternity-based cross-sectional study in Luanda, Angola. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2019.1050

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