Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of maternal self reports of obstetrical complications, which are commonly used in estimating the prevalence of complications. These estimates vary greatly between countries and could either reflect true differences or reporting bias. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1027 women in two Bolivian maternity hospitals. A questionnaire recorded mothers' perceptions of obstetrical complications while hospital medical records and physical examinations established their clinical condition. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and percent agreement were obtained for obstetrical conditions. Results: In general, women's reports of obstetrical complications did not match medical diagnoses. The highest agreement was obtained for reporting eclampsia, with less agreement for labor disorders, postpartum hemorrhage and malpresentation. Conclusions: Maternal self reports in this study did not provide a valid estimate of the prevalence of obstetrical complications. Health surveys based on maternal self reports must be interpreted with consideration of this limitation.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
