Accuracy of assisted reproductive technology information on the Massachusetts birth certificate, 1997-2000.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of assisted reproductive technology (ART) reporting on the Massachusetts birth certificate and to explore the individual and hospital-level characteristics associated with ART reporting.


METHODS
Validity analysis of population-based data.


METHODS
Live-birth deliveries by Massachusetts-resident mothers during 1997-2000.


METHODS
Live births and delivery mothers.


METHODS
The ART data maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were linked with the live birth-infant death records in Massachusetts. Successfully linked records were used as the gold standard for ART-related deliveries in evaluating the validity of the ART information reported on the Massachusetts birth certificate.


METHODS
Sensitivity and specificity.


RESULTS
The sensitivity of ART reporting on the birth certificate was 27% and the specificity >99%. Sensitivity of ART reporting was higher among women with multiple deliveries (twins: 32%; triplets+: 43%) and preterm deliveries (36%).


CONCLUSIONS
During the period evaluated, reporting of ART information on the birth certificate was incomplete, and ART births identified through the birth certificate were a biased sample of the population of ART births. Using delivery hospital data as the sole source of ART information for the standard birth certificate may yield inaccurate information.
Zhang
Zi
Z
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 01545, USA. zi.zhang@umassmed.edu
Macaluso
Maurizio
M
Cohen
Bruce
B
Schieve
Laura
L
Nannini
Angela
A
Chen
Michael
M
Wright
Victoria
V
D000328:Adult; D001719:Birth Certificates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008404:Massachusetts; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015983:Selection Bias; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult