https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518815134 Journal of Interpersonal Violence 1–20 © The Author(s) 2018 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0886260518815134 journals.sagepub.com/home/jiv Original Research Violent Motherhood: Prevalence and Factors Affecting Violence Against Pregnant Women in India Suresh Jungari 1 Abstract Violence against women is widely recognized as a serious public health problem in the world. Especially violence against pregnant women has more severe health consequences for both women and child. The objective of this study is to examine the prevalence and factors affecting violence during pregnancy in India. Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)– 4 are used to analyze this study. NFHS is a series of demographic health surveys conducted in India. Information on violence against pregnant women was collected for the first time in NFHS-4. Univariate and multivariate analyses are used to show the factors affecting violence during pregnancy. Study results reveal that the prevalence of violence varied among states from 0.5% to 9%, and women in South India were at a greater risk of abuse during pregnancy than that of women in other parts of India. Women with no education, women in poor household, women having three and more children, and women from rural area are at greater risk of being victims of violence during motherhood. Effective strategies such as responsive health care system, effective implementation of legal measures, and educating and engaging men in preventing violence are urgently needed. 1 Savitribai Phule Pune University, India Corresponding Author: Suresh Jungari, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India. Email: sureshjungariiips@gmail.com 815134JIV XX X 10.1177/0886260518815134Journal of Interpersonal ViolenceJungari research-article 2018