Abstract

Mental health issues had been reported as significantly leading causes of burden of disease. Globally, women have been variously exposed to challenges capable of jeopardizing their mental and physical health status. Intimate partner violence (IPV) and reproductive coercion are important health and social issues affecting women especially women of child bearing age around the world. The study adopted the descriptive design of survey type. The population of the study comprises of women specifically multigravida (women who has had more than one child before the current pregnancy) attending ante natal clinics in four (4) medical facilities randomly chosen for the study. Twenty-five (25) women were randomly selected from each of the medical facility, making a total of one hundred (100) respondents. Instrument used for the study was a questionnaire measuring intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion. Data collected were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result indicated that there is a combined effect of intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion on the mental health of child bearing women. It shows that each of the variables have a significant relative contribution to the prediction. Hence it was recommended that individuals seek counseling from professional marriage counselors before getting married. Government and nongovernmental organizations should be responsible for supporting the rights of women in Nigeria. There should be movement for the support and emancipation of Nigerian women dully supported and funded by the government.