Selected perinatal factors and child abuse

Abstract

A matched pair case-control study was conducted to compare birthweights, gestations, and length of hospital stay (LOS) of 532 children subsequently reported as physically abused with comparable data from a group of control children matched on age, sex, race, and maternal education. Our results indicated a moderate association between both low birthweight and very short gestation with physical abuse. Results for LOS were inconclusive.