Background: In Nigeria, the relationship between spousal violence and pregnancy termination had not been adequately explored.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence of spousal violence, and examine the relationship between spousal violence and pregnancy
termination.
Methods: Data on spousal violence among ever married women was extracted from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health
Survey. The outcome variable is pregnancy termination. The explanatory variables were the type of spousal violence experienced
by the women in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Descriptive statistical analysis and binary logistic regression were applied
using stata version 12.
Results: Results show that 13.8% of women had ever terminated pregnancy; 19.9% had ever experienced at least one type of
spousal violence; and women who had ever terminated pregnancy had higher prevalence of all types of spousal violence. Women
who had ever experienced spousal physical violence were 9% more likely to experience pregnancy termination (OR=1.09; CI:
1.03-2.86); and women who had ever experienced spousal emotional violence were 33% more likely to experience pregnancy
termination (OR=1.33; CI: 0.97-1.95).
Conclusions: Spousal violence is significantly related to pregnancy termination. Improving women’s sexual and reproductive
health in the country requires fresh initiatives that address spousal violence to further reduce women’s exposure to pregnancy
termination