Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: The associations betwee n Intimate Partner Violence a nd maternal health care service 
utilization: A systematic review and meta -analysis  
 
Version: 0 Date: 30 Jun 2018  
 
Reviewer: Thach Tran  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is a systematic review and meta -analysis of the associations between IPV and the use of 
maternal health care services. IPV and maternal health care utilization are important topics. The 
manuscript was written well. However, I have some comments and suggestions.  
 
1. The background should be split into several paragraphs.  
 
2. All of those studies w ere conducted in low -income countries in Asia and Africa. The authors 
should discuss about that suggest how to interpret the results accurately.   
 
3. The numbers of studies included in some sub -group meta -analyses are relative small. What is 
the minimum nu mber of studies required for a meta -analysis?  
 
4. In the meta -analyses presented in Fig 2, 4, 5, and 7, data of a study were included in many 
times. For example, data from Rahman (2012) included are combined IPV, and different 
forms. Those data are not inde pendent. How did the authors control for that?  
 
5. How did the author evaluate the publication bias?  
 
6. Should discuss about the mechanisms of the associations and how to interpret the 
associations. In the Conclusion, the authors suggested 'interventions th at target the reduction 
of IPV … could aid in improving utilization of maternal health care services'. Does that 
means the associations can be in interpreted as casual relationships?  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review ? 
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscri pt: 
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either no w or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that holds 
or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I  declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my  report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access C reative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal