Drug abuse and other risk factors for physical abuse in pregnancy among white non-Hispanic, black, and Hispanic women

Article Abstract:

It is estimated that physical abuse occurs at least once in 28 percent of all marriages in the US. Many of the reports of physical abuse come from women in emergency rooms, crisis centers, and shelters. Pregnancy has been suggested to be a risk factor for physical abuse, with violence beginning or increasing at this time. Also, alcohol and drug abuse, low socioeconomic status, and unemployment have been reported to be risk factors associated with physical abuse. To investigate this issue further, the prevalence and risk factors associated with physical abuse among pregnant women were determined. The study included 238 white non-Hispanic women, 141 black women and 120 Hispanic women, all of whom attended a public prenatal clinic. Twenty percent of the women reported that they had been physically abused, and 29 percent said that the abuse started during pregnancy. The women who were abused were more likely to smoke, use drugs, drink alcohol, be divorced or separated, and have more children than those who were not abused. Physical abuse was 3.5 times more common among white non-Hispanic women than Hispanic women, and 1.6 times more common among white non-Hispanic women than black women. The most common site of injury was the face, and a boyfriend or husband was the abuser in 83 percent of the cases. Reasons suggested as to why physical abuse may occur during pregnancy include: sexual frustration, family transition stress , anger directed at the defenselessness of the pregnant woman or violence directed toward the fetus. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Women, Crimes against, Risk factors, Demographic aspects, Drug abuse in pregnancy, Wife abuse, Conjugal violence

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Gestational pyelonephritis-associated Escherichia coli isolates represent a nonrandom, closely related population

Article Abstract:

Infectious kidney inflammation during pregnancy may be caused by several related strains of Escherichia coli. Researchers analyzed urine samples from 57 pregnant patients known to have kidney inflammation caused by infection. Repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction DNA fingerprint analysis of E. coli strains revealed that four strains were responsible for 68.5% of infections. E. coli strains causing pregnancy-related kidney inflammation may create other E. coli strains unique to pregnancy. A comparison group of nonpregnant women with urinary tract infections had different E. coli strains. Pregnant women may have an increased risk of urinary tract infections due to the enlarged uterus blocking the urinary tract.

Causes of, Complications and side effects, Kidneys, Inflammation, Kidney, Escherichia coli infections, Pyelonephritis

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Domestic abuse in pregnancy: a comparison of a self-completed domestic abuse questionnaire with a directed interview

Article Abstract:

A questionnaire that women could fill out may help identify women who are abused. In a study of the questionnaire and a personal interview, the questionnaire identifed 85% of the abused women compared to 59% detected by the interview.

Diagnosis

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