A VALIDATION-STUDY OF MATERNAL SELF-REPORTS OF OBSTETRICAL COMPLICATIONS - IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH SURVEYS

Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of maternal self reports of obstetrical complications, which are commonl y used are commonly used in estimating the prevalence of complications . These estimates vary greatly between countries and could either refl ect true differences or reporting bias. Methods: A cross-sectional stu dy was conducted among 1027 women in two Bolivian maternity hospitals. A questionnaire reported mothers' perceptions of obstetrical complica tions while hospital medical records and physical examinations establi shed their clinical condition. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive va lues, and percent agreement were obtained for obstetrical conditions. Results: In general, womens reports' reports of obstetrical complicati ons did not match medical diagnoses. The highest agreement was obtaine d for reporting eclampsia, with less agreement for labor disorders, po stpartum hemorrhage and malpresentation. Conclusions: Maternal self re ports in this study did not provide a valid estimate of the prevalence of obstetrical complications. Health surveys based on manual self rep orts must be interpreted with consideration of this limitation. (C) 19 98 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.