Synergistic Effects of Unintended Pregnancy and Young Motherhood on Shaking and Smothering of Infants among Caregivers in Nagoya City, Japan

摘要

BackgroundShaking and smothering in response to infant crying are forms of child abuse that often result in death. Unintended pregnancy and young motherhood are risk factors of such child maltreatment that are often comorbid, few studies have examined their synergistic effect on shaking and smothering of infants. We examined the synergistic effects of unintended pregnancy and young motherhood on shaking and smothering among caregivers of infants in Japan.