Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression among Pregnant Mothers Who Had Intimate Partner Violence during Pregnancy Attending Antenatal Care at Gondar University Hospital Northwest Ethiopia in 2020

Background. Antenatal depression is the major obstetric problem that led to significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in the third world. However, in Ethiopia this prevalence and association were not studied, as result, this study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression among pregnant mothers who had intimate partner violence during pregnancy. Methodology. An institution-based cross-sectional study was done among 409 pregnant mothers who had intimate partner violence during pregnancy from May to July 2019 at Gondar University Hospital. All pregnant mothers who came for ANC follow-up during the study period approached for screening of intimate partner violence during pregnancy using standard and validated screening method and instrument of the WHO multicountry study on women’s health and domestic violence to evaluate intimate partner violence, and we use EPDS for the evaluation of antenatal depression validated in Ethiopia with a cut point of 13. Result. Prevalence of depression among pregnant mothers who had any form of intimate partner violence during pregnancy was 35%: physical abuse (AOR=1.8; 95% CI: 1.19, 3.30), more than one type of abuse (AOR=10.18; 95% CI: 7.10, 16.18), poor social support (AOR=5.81; 95% CI: 1.12, 13.12), and pregnant mothers whose partner drunk for the past twelve months (AOR=7.16; 95% CI: 183, 8.00) were significantly associated with antenatal depression. Conclusion. High prevalence of antenatal depression among pregnant mothers who had intimate partner violence during pregnancy was highly associated with physical abuse, more than one type of abuse, lack of social support, and partner of pregnant mothers who is a drunk. Hence, this is important to create a screening program and prevention strategy of intimate partner violence during pregnancy at the time of antenatal follow-up to prevent and early identify its morbidity and mortality