title: Advantages and limitations of using national administrative data on obstetric blood transfusions to estimate the frequency of obstetric hemorrhages.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obstetric hemorrhages are a frequent cause of maternal death all over the world, but are not routinely monitored. Health systems administrative databases could be used for this purpose, but data quality needs to be assessed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Using blood transfusion data recorded in administrative databases to estimate the frequency of obstetric hemorrhages.  Research design A population-based study.  Subjects Validation sub-sample: all mothers who gave birth in a French region in 2006-07 (35 123 pregnancies). Main study: all mothers who gave birth in France in 2006-07 (1 629 537 pregnancies).
  
  
  METHODS
  Linkage and comparison of administrative data on blood transfusions with data from the French blood agency ('gold standard'), and, based on this validation, the construction of a multivariable regression model to correct the number of pregnant women identified as having received a transfusion in the national administrative database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The blood transfusion rate observed in the gold standard was 7.12‰. The sensitivity of the administrative data was estimated at 66.3% and the positive predictive value at 91.3%. The estimated total number of pregnant women who received blood transfusions in France in 2006-07 was 10 941 (6.71‰).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administrative data, available in most countries, can be used to estimate the frequency of obstetric hemorrhages.
authors: CHRU, Service de Biostatistique et d'Informatique Médicale, BP 77908, CHU de Dijon, Dijon 21079, France. catherine.quantin@chu-dijon.fr
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Quantin
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Benzenine
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Ferdynus
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sediki
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Auverlot
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Abrahamowicz
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Morel
authors: J B
authors: JB
authors: Gouyon
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Sagot
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D019992:Databases as Topic / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results