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To determine if pregnancy intendedness is associated with physical violence, and to identify factors that modify this association.

Three to 6 months after delivery, we mailed a questionnaire to a population-based sample of 12,612 mothers of infants born during 1990 and 1991 in four states. We used multiple logistic regression to compute odds ratios.

The state-specific prevalences (± standard error) of physical violence ranged from 3.8 ± 0.5 to 6.9 ± 0.8%; the prevalences of unwanted or mistimed pregnancies ranged from 36.9–46.3%. In each state, higher rates of physical violence were reported by women who had fewer than 12 years of education, lived in crowded conditions, participated in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, received no or delayed prenatal care, or were of races other than white, under 20 years old, or not married …