Maternal experience of intimate partner violence and low birth weight of children: A hospital-based study in Bangladesh.

Md Mosfequr Rahman,Abigail Fraser,Jannatul Ferdos

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0187138

Abstract

ObjectiveIntimate partner violence (IPV) is the most prevalent form of gender-based violence worldwide. IPV either before or during pregnancy has been documented as a risk factor for the health of the mother and her unborn child. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal experience of IPV and low birth weight (LBW).Study designA hospital-based survey was conducted among women in the postnatal wards of a large public hospital at Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Data on socio-economic characteristics, reproductive health characteristics, intimate partner violence, and antenatal, delivery and newborn care were collected from 400 women between July 2015 and April 2016.ResultsResults of this study indicated that 43% of women reported experiencing any physical IPV in their lifetime, 35.5% of them experienced sexual IPV, and 32.5% experienced both physical and sexual IPV. Approximately one in every three (29.2%) infants was born with LBW. Physical IPV was associated with an increased risk of having a child with low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.01, 95% CI: 2.35–5.81). The risk of infants born with LBW increased with women’s lifetime experience of sexual IPV (AOR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.23–4.15) and both physical and sexual IPV (AOR: 4.05; 95% CI: 2.79–7.33).ConclusionMaternal lifetime experience of IPV is positively associated with LBW children. Preventing women from the experience of IPV may help improve neonatal and child mortality in Bangladesh.

Highlights

Low birth weight (LBW), defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as birth weight of less than 2500 grams (5.5 pounds), is considered the most common risk factor for neonatal mortality [1]
Results of this study indicated that 43% of women reported experiencing any physical Intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime, 35.5% of them experienced sexual IPV, and 32.5% experienced both physical and sexual IPV
Physical IPV was associated with an increased risk of having a child with low birth weight

Summary

Introduction

Low birth weight (LBW), defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as birth weight of less than 2500 grams (5.5 pounds), is considered the most common risk factor for neonatal mortality [1]. A range of both short- and long-term consequences are associated with LBW. Infants born with LBW are more susceptible to frequent infections, malnutrition, poor cognitive development [2,3], higher risk of stunting by 2 years of age [4], leading to irreversible outcomes after age 3 years, including short height in adulthood, lowered immune function [5], an increased risk of chronic disease and reproductive complications in later life [6], as well as lower productivity in a range of educational and economic activities [6]. Using the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis, many studies have already shown that longer-term health risks associated with LBW include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and obesity [7,8,9]. It is estimated that more than 20 million infants around the world, representing 16% of all births, are born with LBW [10]. In Bangladesh the LBW prevalence is 22% [13]

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Discussion

Conclusion