Özet:

Purpose: The aim of the study is to determine the frequency of domestic violence in infertile women, to review some associated variables and to evaluate anxiety level. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of a total of 774 women (88.1%) admitted to the infertility outpatient clinic of the hospital and agreed to take part in the study. The questionnaire forms prepared by using the literature in line with the study objective were completed by the investigators with face-to-face interview method. The women who suffered from minimum one type of domestic violence at least once within last 1 year were regarded to have a “history of domestic violence”. The Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to assess anxiety level. Results: 116 (15.0%) infertile women in our study reported to suffer from domestic violence. The most frequently reported domestic violence type was emotional (56.1%) and sexual (21.9%). In our study, exposure to domestic violence was determined to be higher in women aged 25 years and above, with an education level of high school and above, with no job, with addiction of smoking and alcohol, with obesity, who got married more than once, whose first marriage age is 19 years and below, who are married for 4 years or below, with primary infertility, who are infertile for 2 years and below and with a family history of infertility. Anxiety levels of infertile women with a history of domestic violence were determined to be significantly higher. Conclusion: Domestic violence against infertile women is an important issue with regard to women health and in social terms. Treatment of infertile women enabling them to have children will affect their mental health positively.

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