Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study
Abstract Background Victimisation of women is encountered in all countries across the world, it damages the mental and physical health of women. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, women are at a greater risk of experiencing violence from an intimate partner. The aim of this study was to exp...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-020-02864-5 |
| _version_ | 1818778077466984448 |
|---|---|
| author | Hafrún Finnbogadóttir Kathleen Baird Li Thies-Lagergren |
| author_facet | Hafrún Finnbogadóttir Kathleen Baird Li Thies-Lagergren |
| author_sort | Hafrún Finnbogadóttir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Victimisation of women is encountered in all countries across the world, it damages the mental and physical health of women. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, women are at a greater risk of experiencing violence from an intimate partner. The aim of this study was to explore childbirth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy. Methods A longitudinal cohort design was used. In total, 1939 pregnant women ≥18 years were recruited to answer two questionnaires, both questionnaires were administered in the early and late stages of their pregnancy. The available dataset included birth records of 1694 mothers who gave birth between June 2012 and April 2014. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, T-test and bivariate logistic regression. Results Of 1694 mothers 38.7% (n = 656) reported a history of violence and 2% (n = 34) also experienced domestic violence during pregnancy. Women who were single, living apart from their partner, unemployed, smoked and faced financial distress were at a higher risk of experiencing violence (p = 0.001). They also had significant low scores on the SOC-scale and high EDS-scores ≥13 (p = 0.001) when compared to women without a history of violence (p = 0.001). Having a history of violence increased the woman’s risk of undergoing a caesarean section (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.02–1.70). A history of emotional abuse also significantly increased the risk of having a caesarean section irrespective of whether it was a planned or an emergency caesarean section (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09–2.06). Infants born to a mother who reported a history of violence, were at significant risk of being born premature < 37 weeks of gestation compared to infants born by mothers with no history of violence (p = 0,049). Conclusions A history of violence and/or exclusively a history of emotional abuse has a negative impact on childbirth outcomes including caesarean section and premature birth. Therefore, early identification of a history of or ongoing violence is crucial to provide women with extra support which may have positive impact on her birth outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5ff9c7f7c0c436e9208ed882bd4a76b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5ff9c7f7c0c436e9208ed882bd4a76b2022-12-21T21:09:27ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932020-03-0120111010.1186/s12884-020-02864-5Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort studyHafrún Finnbogadóttir0Kathleen Baird1Li Thies-Lagergren2Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Care Science, Malmö UniversitySchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Transforming Maternity Care Collaborative, Griffith University, & Gold Coast University HospitalThe Department of Health Science: Midwifery research - reproductive, perinatal and sexual health, Health Science Center, Lund UniversityAbstract Background Victimisation of women is encountered in all countries across the world, it damages the mental and physical health of women. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, women are at a greater risk of experiencing violence from an intimate partner. The aim of this study was to explore childbirth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy. Methods A longitudinal cohort design was used. In total, 1939 pregnant women ≥18 years were recruited to answer two questionnaires, both questionnaires were administered in the early and late stages of their pregnancy. The available dataset included birth records of 1694 mothers who gave birth between June 2012 and April 2014. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, T-test and bivariate logistic regression. Results Of 1694 mothers 38.7% (n = 656) reported a history of violence and 2% (n = 34) also experienced domestic violence during pregnancy. Women who were single, living apart from their partner, unemployed, smoked and faced financial distress were at a higher risk of experiencing violence (p = 0.001). They also had significant low scores on the SOC-scale and high EDS-scores ≥13 (p = 0.001) when compared to women without a history of violence (p = 0.001). Having a history of violence increased the woman’s risk of undergoing a caesarean section (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.02–1.70). A history of emotional abuse also significantly increased the risk of having a caesarean section irrespective of whether it was a planned or an emergency caesarean section (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09–2.06). Infants born to a mother who reported a history of violence, were at significant risk of being born premature < 37 weeks of gestation compared to infants born by mothers with no history of violence (p = 0,049). Conclusions A history of violence and/or exclusively a history of emotional abuse has a negative impact on childbirth outcomes including caesarean section and premature birth. Therefore, early identification of a history of or ongoing violence is crucial to provide women with extra support which may have positive impact on her birth outcomes.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-020-02864-5History of violenceDomestic violenceIntimate partner violencePregnancyMidwife, birth outcomesLongitudinal |
| spellingShingle | Hafrún Finnbogadóttir Kathleen Baird Li Thies-Lagergren Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth History of violence Domestic violence Intimate partner violence Pregnancy Midwife, birth outcomes Longitudinal |
| title | Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study |
| title_full | Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study |
| title_short | Birth outcomes in a Swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study |
| title_sort | birth outcomes in a swedish population of women reporting a history of violence including domestic violence during pregnancy a longitudinal cohort study |
| topic | History of violence Domestic violence Intimate partner violence Pregnancy Midwife, birth outcomes Longitudinal |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-020-02864-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hafrunfinnbogadottir birthoutcomesinaswedishpopulationofwomenreportingahistoryofviolenceincludingdomesticviolenceduringpregnancyalongitudinalcohortstudy AT kathleenbaird birthoutcomesinaswedishpopulationofwomenreportingahistoryofviolenceincludingdomesticviolenceduringpregnancyalongitudinalcohortstudy AT lithieslagergren birthoutcomesinaswedishpopulationofwomenreportingahistoryofviolenceincludingdomesticviolenceduringpregnancyalongitudinalcohortstudy |