Domestic Violence against Infertile Women : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) against infertile women is an important health concern, which affect their well-being. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the prevalence of DV against infertile women. The study was done based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) on international electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were cross-sectional studies published in English and Persian journals, which investigated the prevalence of DV against infertile women up to May 2020. Out of 634 studies, 26 cross-sectional studies were systematically reviewed, from which 16 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Violence varied widely in infertile women, from 14.987 to 88.918%. The results of meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of violence was equal to 47.163% (95% CI 34.660 to 59.850%). Psychological and emotional violence was the most common types of violence. Considering high rate of DV, policymakers are recommended to address the problem by providing supportive cares including educational and counseling services.

Keywords: Women's Infertility, Violence, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence