Pregnancy loss in the Philippines.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Pregnancy loss is a significant concern affecting women's health and well-being.
• Understanding risk factors for pregnancy loss is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
• Domestic violence is a pervasive issue with potential adverse effects on reproductive health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the characteristics of Filipino women experiencing pregnancy loss.
• To determine the association between domestic violence and pregnancy loss among Filipino women.
• To identify demographic, socioeconomic, and medical risk factors for pregnancy loss.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 8,481 Filipino women aged 15-49 with at least one pregnancy outcome.
• Data collected on demographic factors, socioeconomic status, domestic violence exposure, sexual behavior, pregnancy wantedness, and disease history.
• Statistical analysis used to identify risk factors and associations, controlling for the number of pregnancies.

Main Results:

• Physical abuse, region, partner's faithfulness, hypertension, hepatitis, kidney disease, and anemia were major risk factors for pregnancy loss.
• Women experiencing domestic violence had a 1.59 times higher risk of pregnancy loss.
• Younger women (15-19 years) faced a significantly higher risk of pregnancy loss.

Conclusions:

• Domestic violence is a significant risk factor for pregnancy loss in Filipino women.
• Specific medical conditions and demographic factors are associated with increased risk.
• Interventions addressing domestic violence and improving healthcare access are essential for reducing pregnancy loss.