title: Reporting postpartum haemorrhage with transfusion: a comparison of NSW birth and hospital data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postpartum haemorrhage rates have been increasing in NSW and internationally, and blood transfusion is required in severe cases. Using routinely collected administrative data provides a convenient method with which to monitor trends in both postpartum haemorrhage and associated transfusion use. In order for this to be feasible however, the reliability of reporting of the conditions needs to be assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used linked data to compare the reporting of postpartum haemorrhage with transfusion as reported in the NSW Admitted Patient Data Collection (hospital data), with the same information obtained from the Perinatal Data Collection (birth data), for births in NSW from 2007 to 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of postpartum haemorrhage requiring blood transfusion was 1.0% based on the hospital data and 1.1% based on the birth data, with a rate of 1.7% if identifying cases from either source. Agreement between the two sources improved from fair to moderate over the time period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postpartum haemorrhage requiring transfusion recorded in the birth data shows only moderate agreement with hospital data, so caution is recommended when using this variable for analysis. Linkage of both datasets is recommended to identify birth information from birth data and postpartum haemorrhage with transfusion from hospital data until further validation work has been undertaken.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research.
authors.forename: Jillian A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research.
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health.
authors.forename: Lee K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research.
authors.forename: Jane B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D009099:Multiple Birth Offspring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult