Abstract
Objectives: This study estimates the prevalence of stressful life events and physical abuse among North Carolina women prior to infant delivery, and examines potential associations between abuse and the other stressors. Methods: Data were from the North Carolina Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, a statewide representative survey of over 2,600 postpartum women. The survey assessed women's sociodemographic characteristics and their experiences of physical abuse and 13 other stressful life events before delivery. The prevalences of each life event and abuse were estimated. Logistic regression modeled the probability of women having high levels of stressful life events in relation to physical abuse and sociodemographics. Results: Most women were married, white, high school graduates, aged 20 or older. The most common stressful life events were residential moves, increased arguing with husbands/partners, family member hospitalizations, financial hardship, and deaths of loved ones. Fourteen percent of women had high levels of stressful events (5 or more), and almost 9% were physically abused. Abuse was positively associated with increased arguing with husbands/partners, physical fighting, having someone close with an alcohol/drug problem, becoming separated/divorced, and financial hardship. Logistic regression analysis showed that a high level of stressful life events was significantly more likely among women abused both before and during pregnancy (OR = 11.94) and among women abused before but not during pregnancy (OR = 14.19). Conclusions: The high frequency of multiple stressful events and abuse in women's lives suggests that women's care providers should ask their patients about these issues, and offer appropriate referral/interventions to those in need.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Hoffman S, Hatch MC. Stress, social support and pregnancy outcome: A reassessment based on recent research. Paediatric Perinatal Epidemiol 1996;10:380–405.
McLean DE, Hatfield-Timajchy K, Wingo PA, Floyd RL. Psychosocial measurement: Implications for the study of preterm delivery in black women. Am J Prev Med 1993;9(Suppl.):39-81.
McCormick MC, Brooks-Gunn J, Shorter T, Holmes JH, Wallace CY, Heagarty MC. Factors associated with smoking in low-income pregnant women: Relationship to birth weight, stressful life events, social support, health behaviors and mental distress. J Clin Epidemiol 1990;43:441–8.
Orr ST, James S, Miller CA, Barakat B, Daikoku N, Pupkin M, Engstrom K, Huggins G. Psychosocial stressors and low birthweight in an urban population. Am J Prev Med 1996;12:459–66.
Lou HC, Nordentoft M, Jensen F, Pryds O, Nim J, Hemmimgsen R. Psychosocial stress and severe prematurity. Lancet 1992;340(July):54.
Collins JW, David RJ, Symons R, Handler A, Wall S, Andes S. African-American mothers' perception of their residential environment, stressful life events, and very low birthweight. Epidemiology 1998;9:286–9.
Sheehan TJ. Stress and low birth weight: A structural modeling approach using real life stressors. Soc Sci Med 1998;47:1503-12.
Martin SL, Mackie L, Kupper LL, Buescher PA, Moracco KE. Physical abuse of women before, during, and after pregnancy. JAMA 2001;285:1581–4.
Gazmararian JA, Petersen R, Spitz AM, Goodwin MM, Saltzman LE, Marks JS. Violence and reproductive health: Current knowledge and future research directions. Matern Child Health J 2000;4:79–84.
Gazmararian JA, Lazorick S, Spitz AM, Ballard TJ, Saltzman LE, Marks JS. Prevalence of violence against pregnant women. JAMA 1996;275:1915–20.
Dietz PM, Gazmararian JA, Goodwin MM, Bruce FC, Johnson CH, Rochat RW. Delayed entry into prenatal care: Effect of physical violence. Obstet Gynecol 1997;90:221–4.
Curry MA, Harvey SM. Stress related to domestic violence during pregnancy and infant birth weight. In: Campbell JC, editor.Empowering survivors of abuse: Health care for battered women and their children. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage, 1988:98-108.
Muhajarine N, D'Arcy C. Physical abuse during pregnancy: Prevalence and risk factors. Can Med Assoc J 1999;160:1007-11.
Cokkinides VE, Coker AL. Experiencing physical violence during pregnancy: Prevalence and correlates. Fam Community Health 1998;20:19–37.
Newton RW, Hunt LP. Psychosocial stress in pregnancy and its relation to low birth weight. BMJ 1984;288:1191–4.
Hosmer DW, Lemeshow S. Applied logistic regression. New York: Wiley, 1989.
Shah BV, Barnwell BG, Bieler GS. SUDAAN user's manual, Release 7.0. Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Institute, 1996.
Clark KA, Martin SL, Petersen R, Cloutier S, Covington D, Buescher P, Beck-Warden M. Who gets screened during pregnancy for partner violence? Arch Fam Med 2000;9(Nov./Dec.):1093–9.
Parsons L, Goodwin MM, Petersen R.Violence against women and reproductive health: Toward defining a role for reproductive health care services. Matern Child Health J 2000;4: 135–40.
Campbell JC, Moracco KE, Saltzman LE. Future directions for violence against women and reproductive health: Science, prevention, and action. Matern Child Health J 2000;4:149–54.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Martin, S.L., Griffin, J.M., Kupper, L.L. et al. Stressful Life Events and Physical Abuse Among Pregnant Women in North Carolina. Matern Child Health J 5, 145–152 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011339716244
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011339716244