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- Title
Associations between voluntary and involuntary forms of perinatal loss and child maltreatment among low-income mothers.
- Authors
Coleman, Priscilla K.; Maxey, Charles D.; Rue, Vincent M.; Coyle, Catherine T.
- Abstract
<bold>Aim: </bold>This study explored maternal history of perinatal loss relative to risk of child physical abuse and neglect.<bold>Methods: </bold>The 518 study participants included 118 abusive mothers, 119 neglecting mothers, and 281 mothers with no known history of child maltreatment. Interviews and observations were conducted in the participants' homes, and comparisons were made between women without a history of perinatal loss and women with one and multiple losses relative to risk for child maltreatment.<bold>Results: </bold>Compared to women with no history of perinatal loss, those with one loss (voluntary or involuntary) had a 99% higher risk for child physical abuse, and women with multiple losses were 189% more likely to physically abuse their children. Compared to women with no history of induced abortion, those with one prior abortion had a 144% higher risk for child physical abuse. Finally, maternal history of multiple miscarriages and/or stillbirths compared to no history was associated with a 1237% increased risk of physical abuse and a 605% increased risk of neglect.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Perinatal loss may be a marker for elevated risk of child physical abuse, and this information is potentially useful to child maltreatment prevention and intervention efforts.
- Subjects
UNITED States; PERINATAL death; CHILD abuse; STILLBIRTH; ABORTION; CHILD welfare; CRIMES against children; FETAL death; COMPARATIVE studies; HEALTH attitudes; INFANT mortality; LONGITUDINAL method; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; MOTHERHOOD; PARENTING; POVERTY; PRENATAL care; PROBABILITY theory; REFERENCE values; RESEARCH; RISK assessment; EVALUATION research; DISEASE prevalence; CASE-control method; RECURRENT miscarriage
- Publication
Acta Paediatrica, 2005, Vol 94, Issue 10, p1476
- ISSN
0803-5253
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1080/08035250510042960