Association between intimate partner violence and birth outcomes among pregnant women in the STOP-VIO-PREG cohort: A cohort study utilizing Patient-Reported Outcome and Danish registers data

Introduction

Adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birthweight, and small for gestational age, are critical indicators of neonatal health. While the impact of biomedical risk factors is well established, the role of psychosocial stressors, including intimate partner violence, remains less understood. This study investigates the association between intimate partner violence among pregnant women and adverse birth outcomes in a Danish context.

Material and Methods

Based on routinely collected Patient-Reported Outcomes, we conducted a cohort study, including 28 697 pregnant individuals. Enrolled in the period from November 2019 to September 2022, the women were followed until childbirth, leading to 22 799 mothers–offspring pairs with valid data. Data on IPV exposure were collected through the Abuse Assessment Screen, detecting physical, psychological, and sexual violence and fear of partner. Birth outcomes were obtained from the Danish registries, including the Danish medical birth registry. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to calculate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for confounders, such as maternal age, socioeconomic position, smoking status, and psychiatric disorders.

Results

Of the 22 799 mothers, 5.3% screened positive for intimate partner violence, and 1.9% reported intimate partner violence within the last year. Intimate partner violence was positively associated with preterm birth and low birthweight, with an increased risk of preterm birth (adjusted RR: 1.24, 95% CI 1.06, 1.45) and increased risk for low birthweight (adjusted RR: 1.35, 95% CI 1.04, 1.75) but showed no significant association with small for gestational age (adjusted RR: 0.93, 95% CI 0.78, 1.11).

Conclusions

Our analysis demonstrates a significantly heightened risk of preterm birth and low birthweight among pregnant women who screened positive for intimate partner violence. These results underscore the need for targeted intimate partner violence screening and intervention strategies during prenatal care to reduce the burden of adverse birth outcomes.