Citation

Drevin J, Hallqvist J, Sonnander K, Rosenblad A, Pingel R, Bjelland EK. BJOG 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1471-0528.16037

PMID

31802594

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study if childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse are determinants for having an unplanned pregnancy, if the categories of abuse interact, and if a potential bias due to the selection of the participants (collider stratification bias) could explain the effect of childhood abuse.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study is based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). SAMPLE: Women participating in the Moba for the first time, ≥18 years that responded to questions regarding childhood abuse and pregnancy planning (n = 76 197).

METHODS: Data were collected using questionnaires. We conducted analyses using modified Poisson regressions and the relative excess risks due to interaction (RERI). Sensitivity analyses were performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: An unplanned pregnancy (yes/no).

RESULTS: Exposure to childhood emotional (adjusted RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.10-1.19), physical (adjusted RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.18), and sexual (adjusted RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.14-1.27) abuse increased the risk of having an unplanned pregnancy. The effects could not be explained by the collider stratification bias. The different combinations of categories of abuse did not show any interaction effects.

CONCLUSIONS: Childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse separately increase the risk of having an unplanned pregnancy. The results indicate that victims of childhood abuse are in greater need of support to achieve their reproductive goals.

© 2019 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Language: en

Keywords

MoBa; Pregnancy; The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study; abortion; child abuse; family planning services; induced; preconception care; unplanned