The association between domestic violence during pregnancy and low birth weight or prematurity.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether domestic violence during pregnancy is associated with unfavorable infant health outcomes, measured by low birth weight or prematurity.


METHODS
This was a prospective cohort study enrolling pregnant women whose prenatal care was provided by 10 basic health units in the city of Campinas, SP, Brazil, between 2004 and 2006. A structured questionnaire was employed that had previously been validated for use in Brazil. Each mother attended a minimum of two and a maximum of three interviews during the prenatal and postnatal periods. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Student's t test was used to compare means for birth weight and gestational age between mothers who had suffered domestic violence during the current pregnancy and those who had not. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with low birth weight or prematurity.


RESULTS
During the prenatal and postnatal periods, 89.1% (n = 1,229) of the pregnant women were followed up, 10.9% being lost to follow-up, basically due to changes of address. Mean birth weight was 3,233 g; mean gestational age was 38.56 weeks. A total of 13.8% of the infants had low birth weight or were premature. Conditions associated with risk of low birth weight or prematurity were: mothers who had previously given birth prematurely (p < 0.005), who smoked (p < 0.001), who delivered by caesarian (p < 0.001) and whose partners had a low educational level (p < 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, no statistically significant association was observed between domestic violence perpetrated by partners and low birth weight or prematurity.
Audi
Celene Aparecida Ferrari
CA
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil. celenefaudi@yahoo.com.br
Corrêa
Ana M Segall
AM
Latorre
Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira
Mdo R
Santiago
Silvia M
SM
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires