Pregnancy Complications as Risk Factors for Physical Abuse in Women Attending Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore – A Cross Sectional Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Domestic violence has been associated with adverse fetal and maternal outcome in pregnancy. Prevalence of abruption, anemia, IUGR, low birth weight is frequently seen in women suffering from domestic violence. Physical abuse during pregnancy has worse outcome as compared to other forms of abuse. Women are very reluctant to share their dilemmas. Poor obstetric characteristics can act as red flags for detecting physical violence. Objective: To Identify association of obstetric risk factors/complications with physical abuse. Study Design: Cross sectional comparative study. Settings: Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore Pakistan. Duration: June 01, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Methods: Patients fulfilling inclusion criteria were included in study after taking consent; from postnatal ward of Sir Ganga Ram hospital, Lahore. Women were divided into two groups, those who were positive for physical domestic violence and those who were negative and their pregnancy and delivery was reviewed for high risk factors. It was a across sectional study carried out in postnatal ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and purposive consecutive sampling was done till required sample was obtained. Results: Total no of patients who consented were 184. Physical abuse was found in 40.8% women under study. Age of these women ranged between 18–35 years. Low education was reported in 60.3% of these women, 55.4% belonged to low socioeconomic class, multiparity was seen in 35.9%, preterm in 40.8%, Cesarean delivery in 68.5%, Anemia in 62.0%, placental abruption in 21.7%, LBW in 35.9%, stillbirth in 17.9%, low Apgar in 48.9% of these women. Multiparity, preterm birth, Anemia, LBW, Stillbirth and Low Apgar showed significant association with physical abuse (all p-values ;0.05). Likewise, patients who were victims of physical abuse were more likely to be suffering from LBW [OR=3.777, 95% CI 1.627-8.766], Anemia [OR=3.855, 95% CI 1.696-8.760], Placental Abruption [OR=2.059, 95% CI 0.839-5.050], low Apgar [OR=1.743, 95% CI 0.748-4.059], and Preterm delivery [OR=1.629,95% CI 0.760-3.491]. Conclusion: Poor Obstetric characteristics have a strong association with physical domestic abuse.