The Relationship Between Domestic Violence Against Women and their Childbearing Intention: A Survey in Sadra City, Iran

Domestic violence against women as a social characteristic can affect women's reproductive behaviors. The present study investigated the relationship between domestic violence against women and their childbearing intention.

This study was a survey conducted using a questionnaire in 2022. The statistical population was married women aged 15-49 years living in Sadra city, Iran, out of whom a sample of 379 was selected by the multi-stage cluster technic. Domestic violence against women was measured using a form with 26 items with a Likert scale, the domestic violence score being obtained by the sum of scores of the items. The SPSS software version 20 was used to analyze the data, the statistical tests being descriptive statistics and two-dimensional logistic regression.

The most common types of domestic violence against women were found to be, in descending order, psychological, physical, economic and sexual violence. The duration of marriage and education of women had a statistically significant effect on their childbearing intention. Increasing domestic violence against women was found to reduce their childbearing intention.

Reducing domestic violence can increase the women’s intention to have children. Therefore, reducing domestic violence against women should be on the policy agenda of the relevant decision makers.