London, April 4, 2016 - Papers published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (IJGO) identify factors associated with violence against women. The papers specifically focus on intimate partner violence (IPV) in regional, national, and international settings, and provide valuable information for the healthcare community and policymakers worldwide. The research contributes to efforts to establish ways in which individuals at risk of IPV can be identified and to the development of successful interventions.
Clinical articles within the issue establish that IPV is linked with unintended pregnancy and pregnancy loss in Pakistan, and the use of female-controlled methods of contraception (e.g. pills, implants, and intrauterine devices) in a rural area of India. Two other papers identify infertility/subfertility as a risk factor for IPV in low- and middle-income countries.
A special editorial by Prof. Rachel Jewkes highlights the role that health professionals - particularly obstetricians and gynecologists - can and should have in the response to violence against women. She calls for improved education on the issues surrounding violence against women during medical training, including discussion of how to respond to patients disclosing violence.
Prevention is crucial but challenging. Some interventions have been developed and have had some success in some settings, but there are still many barriers preventing real progress in the prevention of IPV. A brief report in the themed issue draws attention to the biggest challenges of addressing IPV in the Dominican Republic, most of which resulted from cultural viewpoints and poor awareness of the issue.
Prof Richard Adanu, Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana and IJGO Editor, states: "IJGO joins all women's health advocates in condemning all forms of violence against women. We hope that our Special Editorial and selected papers will increase the knowledge of our readers about this problem and serve as an encouragement to all those working to eliminate it."
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Note to editors
The April 2016 issue of IJGO (volume 133, issue 1), published by Elsevier, is now available on ScienceDirect. Copies of the papers included are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact Elsevier's Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com or +31 20 485 2492.
About the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
The International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (IJGO) is the official publication of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). IJGO publishes articles on all aspects of basic and clinical research in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology and related subjects, with emphasis on matters of worldwide interest.
Since its inception, IJGO has had two primary purposes:
(1) To serve an international audience by publishing original scientific articles and communications originating in low-income countries which emphasize important obstetric and gynecologic problems, issues, and perspectives, such as maternal mortality and family planning; as well as publishing original articles and communications from the scientific community of high-income countries, with particular emphasis on sharing advances in the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology; and
(2) To further the organizational purposes of FIGO by providing a means of bringing to the readership decisions of the officers and executive board, reports of the standing committees of FIGO, and information from the FIGO Secretariat in the intervals between meetings of the executive board and the international congresses; and by providing information from the World Health Organization and those other important international organizations that deal with women's health and the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology.
About Elsevier
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Journal
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics