Does gender-based violence increase the risk of unintended pregnancy? Evidence from Thailand

Moshiur Rahman, Population Council
Wassana Im-em, Mahidol University
Kritaya Archavanitkul, Mahidol University

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is positively associated with a number of reproductive health problems. However there is lack of knowledge about the relationship between IPV and control over sexuality. This study aimed to examine the relationship between unintended pregnancy and IPV, and to explore the factors influencing unintended pregnancies among Thai women, using secondary data from the study “Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women”. One-third of the respondents reported that their last pregnancy was unintended. About 41 percent of the respondents reported IPV in their life course, 13 percent reported only physical, 17 percent reported only sexual and another 11 percent reported both physical and sexual violence. Results of logistic regression showed the odds of unintended pregnancy for women who experienced both sexual and non-sexual violence was 2.4 times higher, only sexual violence was 2.7 times higher, and only physical violence was 1.5 times higher, compared to non-abused women.