title: Intimate partner violence and its association with pregnancy loss and pregnancy planning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of physical partner violence on pregnancy loss and unplanned pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, self-reported questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A maternity ward of a university hospital in Munich, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women who gave birth within the previous seven days.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of physical partner violence on pregnancy loss and unplanned pregnancy were estimated using descriptive statistics based on χ(2) tests, bivariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical partner violence was assessed using the Abuse Assessment Screen, information on pregnancy loss was derived from women's medical files and the assessment of pregnancy planning was based on women's self-reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey had a response rate of 73%; 29% of the women experienced pregnancy loss, 13% reported that their last pregnancy was unplanned and 4% revealed physical violence by a current or previous partner. Physical partner violence was significantly associated with pregnancy loss (odds ratio 8.33, 95% confidence interval 2.01-34.59) and unplanned last pregnancy (odds ratio 5.03, 95% confidence interval 1.21-21.26), even after adjusting for other commonly known explanatory factors, such as number of children, women's age and women's and their partners' education level and employment, marital status, financial situation and support during pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical partner violence is an important factor in understanding pregnancy loss and unplanned pregnancy. Inquiring about the existence of intimate partner violence among these women might help to identify women in need of domestic violence services.
authors: Gender Violence & Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Stöckl
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Campus Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Hertlein
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Campus Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Himsl
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Campus Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Delius
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Campus Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Uwe
authors: U
authors: Hasbargen
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Campus Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Friese
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Campus Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.|Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors: Doris
authors: D
authors: Stöckl
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D057566:Self Report; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data