[Domestic violence during pregnancy and its relationship with birth weight]

To determine the prevalence of domestic violence during pregnancy and its impact on birth weight and the immediate post-partum period.

We conducted a survey of 110 pregnant women who delivered at the Hospital Civil in Cuernavaca, Morelos. The questionnaire was applied by specialized personal. We used multiple linear regression to adjust for differences between birth weight means and multiple logistic regression for complications.

In our study, women who suffered violence during pregnancy had three times more complications during delivery (Cl 95% 1.3-7.9). The difference in birth weight of newborns of these women was 560 g less (p < 0.01 adjusted by age and parity) in comparison with women who did not undergo violence during pregnancy. Women who suffered violence during pregnancy had a four times greater risk for having low birth weight babies (Cl 95% 1.3-12.3) than the non-battered women.

We propose more research be done on this topic, including studies of other population groups. Also, health personnel should be educated that violence towards women could constitute a reproductive risk.