Physical abuse and low birthweight: a case-control study

Objective To examine whether physical abuse of a woman by her partner was associated with low birthweight. Design A case-control study. Setting Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway Participants/sample Eighty-six women who were delivered of a low birthweight (< 2500 g) infant (cases) and 92 women who were delivered of an infant with birthweight greater than or equal to 2500 g (controls). Methods An in-depth interview, either postpartum at the maternity ward or one year after delivery. Information about abuse was obtained by direct questioning and a modified version of the Conflict Tactics Scales. Results A total of 17% of the women had experienced abuse by a partner. While 7% had been abused by their current partner before the index pregnancy only one woman reported abuse during pregnancy. Relatively more mothers of low birthweight infants were abused (20%) compared with controls (15%), but the association was not statistically significant (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.63-2.99). Abused women reported a higher consumption of alcohol and cigarettes in pregnancy compared with nonabused women. Conclusion Abuse was not found to be a risk factor for low birthweight in this study.