Prevalence and Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Women: A Population-Based Study From Finland 2000–2020

Raakel Viheroksa; Mika Gissler; Katariina Laine; Eija Paavilainen; Seppo Heinonen; Sari Räisänen

doi:10.1177/10778012261443489

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Women: A Population-Based Study From Finland 2000–2020

Raakel Viheroksa^*
, Mika Gissler
, Katariina Laine
, Eija Paavilainen
, Seppo Heinonen
, Sari Räisänen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

1 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

To our knowledge, this is the first population-based study on violence experience during pregnancy based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 classification. This study examined violence before, during, and after childbirth in Finland focusing on prevalence and risk factors. Based on the National Register Data from 2000 to 2020, 0.3% (3,485 of 1,177,569) of pregnant women were identified as having experienced violence. Violence was more common among vulnerable groups, such as young women and those with low socioeconomic status. The discrepancy between previous survey-based evidence and our ICD-based data on violence prevalence highlights the need for improved identification within healthcare.

Original language	English
Journal	Violence Against Women
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012261443489
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 17 Apr 2026
Publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

ICD-10
intimate partner violence
pregnancy
real-world data
register data
violence

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 2

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Gender Studies
Sociology and Political Science
Law

Access to Document

10.1177/10778012261443489Licence: CC BY

viheroksa-et-al-2026-prevalence-and-risk-factors-of-intimate-partner-violence-among-pregnant-women-a-population-based-2Final published version, 440 KBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202608249225Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Prevalence and Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Women: A Population-Based Study From Finland 2000{\textendash}2020",

abstract = "To our knowledge, this is the first population-based study on violence experience during pregnancy based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 classification. This study examined violence before, during, and after childbirth in Finland focusing on prevalence and risk factors. Based on the National Register Data from 2000 to 2020, 0.3\% (3,485 of 1,177,569) of pregnant women were identified as having experienced violence. Violence was more common among vulnerable groups, such as young women and those with low socioeconomic status. The discrepancy between previous survey-based evidence and our ICD-based data on violence prevalence highlights the need for improved identification within healthcare.",

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language = "English",

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T2 - A Population-Based Study From Finland 2000–2020

AU - Viheroksa, Raakel

AU - Gissler, Mika

AU - Laine, Katariina

AU - Paavilainen, Eija

AU - Heinonen, Seppo

AU - Räisänen, Sari

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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N2 - To our knowledge, this is the first population-based study on violence experience during pregnancy based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 classification. This study examined violence before, during, and after childbirth in Finland focusing on prevalence and risk factors. Based on the National Register Data from 2000 to 2020, 0.3% (3,485 of 1,177,569) of pregnant women were identified as having experienced violence. Violence was more common among vulnerable groups, such as young women and those with low socioeconomic status. The discrepancy between previous survey-based evidence and our ICD-based data on violence prevalence highlights the need for improved identification within healthcare.

AB - To our knowledge, this is the first population-based study on violence experience during pregnancy based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 classification. This study examined violence before, during, and after childbirth in Finland focusing on prevalence and risk factors. Based on the National Register Data from 2000 to 2020, 0.3% (3,485 of 1,177,569) of pregnant women were identified as having experienced violence. Violence was more common among vulnerable groups, such as young women and those with low socioeconomic status. The discrepancy between previous survey-based evidence and our ICD-based data on violence prevalence highlights the need for improved identification within healthcare.

KW - ICD-10

KW - intimate partner violence

KW - pregnancy

KW - real-world data

KW - register data

KW - violence

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DO - 10.1177/10778012261443489

M3 - Article

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SN - 1077-8012

JO - Violence Against Women

JF - Violence Against Women

ER -

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Women: A Population-Based Study From Finland 2000–2020

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Publication forum classification

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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