A very high rate (43.0%) of low birth‐weight (LBW) was shown in 331 abused/neglected cases reported from pediatric clinics of major hospitals in Japan.
Of 87 LBW cases, 82.8% had medical problems and/or unsatisfactory reunion after non‐home care and were abused at a particular age when each of the problems may have caused difficulties in caring. Two types of processes to abuse these intractable LBW were estimated: (i) abusers with psychiatric, mental problems or poor knowledge abused their children during the first 2 years, presumably because of an inability in child rearing; and (ii) abusers with neurosis or abnormal personality abused at ages over 2 years, complained of difficulties with rearing their children, and were suspected to be unable to cope with the difficulties. In both types, a combination of child and parental problems increased at risk.
Obstetricians and neonatologists, who first encounter both high‐risk mothers while pregnant and LBW, should give due care to the prevention of child abuse.
", language="", issn="1328-8067", doi="10.1111/j.1442-200X.1995.tb03309.x", url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-200X.1995.tb03309.x" }