CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Partner Violence During Pregnancy and Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association betwee npartner physical or emotional abuse during pregnancy and pregnancy outcome sincluding perinatal death, low birthweight and preterm delivery. Women, aged 18–65, who attended one of two large primary care practices from 1997–98 were recruited for this study. Ever pregnant women were asked the frequency of abuse during each pregnancy and details of the pregnancy outcomes. Information regarding abuse during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes was available for 755 women surveyed who reported a live birth or late fetal death, 14.7% indicated that an intimate partner was violent or abusive toward them during a pregnancy (274 of 1862 pregnancies). Abuse during pregnancy was significantly associated with an increased risk of perinatal death (adjusted relative risk [aRR]=2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3, 3.4) and, among live births, with preterm low birthweight (aRR=2.4; 95% CI 1.5, 4.0) and term low birthweight (aRR=1.9; 95% CI 1.0, 3.4). Greater abuse frequency was associated with increased risk. Abuse during pregnancy was associated with perinatal deaths and preterm low birthweight deliveries.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2004

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, v. 18, no. 4, p. 260-269.

Dr. Ann Coker had not been a faculty member of the University of Kentucky at the time of publication.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3016.2004.00569.x

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