INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public-health and human-rights problem that disproportionately affects women during their reproductive years. Beyond physical and reproductive consequences, exposure to physical, sexual, psychological, and controlling forms of abuse may substantially contribute to depression and anxiety. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar for studies published from January 2010 to January 2026. Observational studies examining IPV in relation to depression and/or anxiety among women predominantly aged 15–49 years were eligible. The search identified 1,436 records; after removal of duplicates and other pre-screening exclusions, 1,017 records underwent title and abstract screening. Of 149 full-text articles assessed, 22 primary studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Results: Across diverse geographical and clinical settings, IPV exposure was consistently associated with greater depressive and anxiety morbidity. Individual studies included community, antenatal, postpartum, and nationally representative samples. Physical IPV, emotional abuse, and coercive control were each associated with adverse mental-health outcomes. Selected studies reported associations including OR 2.56 for depression with physical IPV in rural Ethiopia, RR 5.8 for moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms with high-control IPV in rural Mexico, OR 1.76 for postnatal depressive symptoms and OR 2.60 for anxiety symptoms among abused postpartum women in Australia, and aOR 3.10 for depressive symptoms and aOR 1.60 for anxiety symptoms with emotional IPV in Mozambique. Conclusion: IPV is consistently associated with depression and anxiety among women of reproductive age. Psychological abuse and controlling behaviour are clinically important and may be overlooked when screening focuses exclusively on physical or sexual violence. Trauma-informed identification of IPV and integration of mental-health assessment and referral pathways into reproductive, maternal, primary-care, and community services are warranted.