Background & Aim: Preterm infants are at increased risk for readmission after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. Some factors and characteristics of preterm infants have an effect on their readmissions. This study aimed to determine neonatal factors related to preterm infants’ readmissions to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Methods & Materials: This correlational study was conducted on a sample of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at three teaching hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2013. Samples were studied using a questionnaire on possible factors and characteristics related to readmission including sex, gestational age, birth weight, multiple birth and length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit after discharge. The infants were also followed for readmission thirty days after discharge. The data were initially analyzed by univariate analysis and then by the logistic regression model.

Results: The results of univariate analysis revealed that the infants readmitted at the time of follow up were significantly more premature and had lower birth weight and a longer initial hospital stay in the neonatal intensive care units (P<0.001). In the logistic regression model, only gestational age and birth weight had a significant statistical association with infants’ readmission (R: 0.805, P=0.001 and odds ratio: 0.998, P=0.001 respectively).

Conclusion: Infants’ gestational age and birth weight were associated with hospital readmission within thirty days after discharge, so that the infants with lower gestational age and birth weight were more likely to be hospitalized again after discharge.

Background & Aim: Violence during pregnancy affects both mother and fetus. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between physical, sexual and psychological violence during pregnancy and low birth weight in the world as a meta-analysis.

Methods & Materials: This study is a meta-analysis that was performed on articles published in Persian and English languages from the beginning of 1995 to the end of 2015. Articles were extracted by searching in the databases of Scopus, Medline, EMBASE, Pubmed, Web of Science, Google scholar, Science Direct, Irandoc, Magiran, Medlib, and SID using key words of violence during pregnancy, low birth weight, physical, sexual and psychological violence and their compounds. The results of studies were combined using a random effects model in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity of studies was evaluated using the I² index and meta-regression, and the data analysis was performed using STATA software v.11.2 and SPSS software v.16.

Results: Of 254 found articles, 16 relevant articles with the sample number of 117287 people were included in the study. The results of meta-analysis showed that physical OR:1.61 (CI95%:2.04–2.28), psychological OR:1.26 (CI95%:1.02–1.56) and sexual violence OR:1.26 (CI95%:1.02–1.56) during pregnancy, lead to an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants in the exposed mothers.

Conclusion: Physical, psychological and sexual violence during pregnancy lead to an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants in the exposed mothers. Therefore, maternal screening and counseling by trained general practitioners and professionals before and during pregnancy are recommended.

Background & Aim: Birth weight is one of the most important indicators for evaluating the community health status.Violence during pregnancy affects both mother and fetus and leads to irreversible consequences. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between physical, sexual and psychological violence during pregnancy and low birth weight in the world as a meta-analysis.

Methods & Materials: This study is a meta-analysis that was performed on articles published in Persian and English languages from the beginning of 1995 to the end of 2015. Articles were extracted by searching in the databases of Scopus, Medline, EMBASE, Pubmed, Web of Science, Google scholar, Science Direct, Irandoc, Magiran, Medlib, and SID using key words of violence during pregnancy, low birth weight, physical, sexual and psychological violence and their compounds. The results of studies were combined using a random effects model in the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity of studies was evaluated using the I² index and meta-regression, and the data analysis was performed using STATA software v.11.2 and SPSS software v.16.

Results: Of 254 found articles, 16 relevant articles with the sample number of 117287 people were included in the study. The results of meta-analysis showed that physical OR:1.61 (CI95%:2.04–2.28), psychological OR:1.26 (CI95%:1.02–1.56) and sexual violence OR:1.26 (CI95%:1.02–1.56) during pregnancy, lead to an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants in the exposed mothers.

Conclusion: Based on the results, physical, psychological and sexual violence during pregnancy lead to an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants in the exposed mothers. Therefore, the relevant authorities are recommended to identify at-risk mothers and control their exposure toviolenceby implementing educational and interventional programs, maternal screening and counseling by trained general practitioners and professionals before and during pregnancy.