Intimate Partner Violence and Early Initiation of Breastfeeding: Evidence from the Peruvian Demographic and Family Health Survey

Background: Violence against women is a serious human rights violation and a public health problem. In Peru, more than 55% of women have suffered intimate partner violence (IPV), which has a negative impact on their health and breastfeeding. Objective: To evaluate the association of IPV and early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) in Peruvian women. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES) of the period 2018–2022. The population included women of reproductive age (15–49 years). The outcome variable was the EIBF, and the main predictor variable was IPV. Crude prevalence ratios and adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated as a measure of association. Results: We analyzed a final sample of 30,482 women. The prevalence of IPV was 16.25%, while the prevalence of mothers who did not initiate early breastfeeding was 33.37%. It was found that partner violence was associated with a lower likelihood of complying with EIBF. Conclusion: We identified that women who experienced IPV were less likely to initiate early breastfeeding.