Abstract
In an effort to understand the relationship between intimate partner physical and psychological violence (IPV) victimization during pregnancy and low birth weight (LBW), we analyzed screening and prevalence of IPV among women with LBW and covariates associated with IPV and LBW. A sample of women with a live birth between April 2014 and May 2016 was drawn randomly from a state registry of birth certificates over sampling for LBW births. Utilizing SAS 9.4, weighted prevalence chi-square and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Among 3393 women with singleton births, higher prevalence of a LBW outcome was observed among women <19-years-old (17.94%, 95% CI 12.11, 23.77), Black (11.39%; 95% CI 8.86, 13.93) and Hispanic (14.04%; 95% CI 11.89, 16.18), less than a high school education (13.68%; 95% CI 10.78, 16.58), and women who smoked (13.39%; 95% CI 10.61, 16.18). Only 40.54% of the study population were screened. After adjusting for age, education, race, substance use, insurance coverage, and first-trimester care, the exposure of IPV was not significantly associated with LBW (aOR = 1.26; 95% CI 0.74, 2.14; p = 0.40). Among women with LBW births, more were screened for IPV than were not screened (11.18% vs. 9.00%, 95% CI 9.46, 12.91; p = 0.038). Among women with LBW outcomes, more experienced IPV than did not. When controlling for risk factors, the association between IPV and LBW was not significant indicating other variables may mediate this relationship. Screening for IPV remains lower than recommended by accredited medical associations.
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Acknowledgements
Full Name: Cordelia Alexander-Leeder.
Place of employment: University of Nevada, Reno, School of Community Health Sciences.
Compensation and Funding partially supported by BABY BEARS project.
Full Name: Ingrid Mburia.
Place of employment: Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health.
Compensation and Funding partially supported by BABY BEARS project.
Funding
BABY BEARS project was supported by the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health through Grant Numbers B04MC28112 and B04MC29352 from the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Division nor HRSA.
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Travers, C.S., Devereux, P.G. & Yang, W. Prevalence and Screening of Intimate Partner Violence and Association with Neonatal Low Birth Weight. J Fam Viol 36, 399–406 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00203-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00203-y