Sexual Violence-Related Pregnancy Among Internally Displaced Women in an Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Northeast Nigeria. 2021

Olusola Oladeji, and Bibilola Oladeji, and Dick Chamla, and Garba Safiyanu, and Sule Mele, and Helni Mshelia, and John Agbor
UNICEF South Sudan, Juba, South Sudan.

Sexual violence is quite common in conflict situations and puts women at risk of unintended pregnancies. In the northeast region of Nigeria with the ongoing insurgency, a substantial number of women are kidnapped and subjected to forced marriages and repeated sexual assaults. This study set out to report on the disclosure and outcomes of sexual violence-related pregnancies (SVRPs) among women liberated from insurgents and relocated to one of largest Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps located in Borno State, northeast Nigeria. The clinic records of women with SVRP were reviewed. Forty-seven women with SVRP were identified by the health care providers using a snowball technique to reach as many of the women with SVRP as possible. The mean age of the participants was 15.3 years (SD = 3.4 years), and all the participants had spent 2 years or more in captivity. Most of the women first disclosed the pregnancy to their peers before disclosure to health care providers or family members. All the women initially requested to have the pregnancy terminated; however, abortion services are not offered in the clinic in line with the country's restrictive abortion laws. Following counseling and psychosocial support offered in the clinic, 19 (40%) of the women continued with the pregnancy and were delivered in the camp clinic while the remaining 26 women left the camp shortly after disclosure and pregnancy outcomes are not known. SVRP is not uncommon in humanitarian settings with its associated stigma and unwillingness among the survivors to keep the pregnancy. There is a need for further studies to provide more insight into the extent of this problem and help-seeking for SVRPs especially for women in such difficult circumstances to provide needed empirical information to drive advocacy efforts for more comprehensive services.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009549 Nigeria A republic in western Africa, south of NIGER between BENIN and CAMEROON. Its capital is Abuja. Federal Republic of Nigeria
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D012036 Refugees Persons fleeing to a place of safety, especially those who flee to a foreign country or power to escape danger, persecution, or economic distress in their own country or habitual residence. Asylum Seekers,Displaced Persons,Internally Displaced Persons,Political Asylum Seekers,Political Refugees,Asylum Seeker,Asylum Seeker, Political,Asylum Seekers, Political,Displaced Person,Displaced Person, Internally,Displaced Persons, Internally,Internally Displaced Person,Person, Displaced,Persons, Displaced,Political Asylum Seeker,Political Refugee,Refugee,Refugee, Political,Refugees, Political,Seeker, Asylum,Seekers, Asylum,Seekers, Political Asylum
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D012742 Sex Offenses Any violation of established legal or moral codes in respect to sexual behavior. Sexual Assault,Sexual Abuse,Sexual Violence,Abuse, Sexual,Abuses, Sexual,Assault, Sexual,Assaults, Sexual,Offense, Sex,Offenses, Sex,Sex Offense,Sexual Abuses,Sexual Assaults,Sexual Violences,Violence, Sexual,Violences, Sexual
D057545 Social Stigma A perceived attribute that is deeply discrediting and is considered to be a violation of social norms. Stigma, Social,Social Stigmas,Stigmas, Social
D030881 Disclosure Revealing of information, by oral or written communication. Financial Disclosure,Information Disclosure,Disclosure, Financial,Disclosure, Information,Disclosures, Financial,Financial Disclosures

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