The effects of physical abuse on pregnancy outcomes in a low-risk obstetric population

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of physical abu se on pregnancy outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective investigation identified all women seen in t he 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. T he frequencies of preterm birth, mode of delivery, Apgar scores less than o r equal to 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 mo re 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 rt 549 g; P = .023), but this trend did not reach significance. CONCLUSION: A history of physical abuse did not result in adverse pregnancy outcomes, although neonatal intensive care unit admission was more likely.