title: The effects of physical abuse on pregnancy outcomes in a low-risk obstetric population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of physical abuse on pregnancy outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective investigation identified all women seen in the outpatient obstetric clinic with a history of physical abuse and matched each with the next 2 women seen without a history of physical abuse (case/control ratio, 1:2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight abused women were matched with 56 control subjects. The frequencies of preterm birth, mode of delivery, Apgar scores <7 at 5 minutes, umbilical artery pH <7.10 at birth, and unhappy or ambivalent feelings about the pregnancy were not statistically different between the 2 groups. Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit was more common among infants of the abused women (n = 4 [14.2%] vs n = 2 [3.6%]), despite heavier birth weights in the abused group (3501 +/- 581 g vs 3200 +/- 549 g; P =. 023), but this trend did not reach significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A history of physical abuse did not result in adverse pregnancy outcomes, although neonatal intensive care unit admission was more likely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Naval Medical Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jagoe
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Magann
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse; D014469:Umbilical Arteries