Dataset Information

An evaluation of classification systems for stillbirth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Audit and classification of stillbirths is an essential part of clinical practice and a crucial step towards stillbirth prevention. Due to the limitations of the ICD system and lack of an international approach to an acceptable solution, numerous disparate classification systems have emerged. We assessed the performance of six contemporary systems to inform the development of an internationally accepted approach.

Methods

We evaluated the following systems: Amended Aberdeen, Extended Wigglesworth; PSANZ-PDC, ReCoDe, Tulip and CODAC. Nine teams from 7 countries applied the classification systems to cohorts of stillbirths from their regions using 857 stillbirth cases. The main outcome measures were: the ability to retain the important information about the death using the InfoKeep rating; the ease of use according to the Ease rating (both measures used a five-point scale with a score <2 considered unsatisfactory); inter-observer agreement and the proportion of unexplained stillbirths. A randomly selected subset of 100 stillbirths was used to assess inter-observer agreement.

Results

InfoKeep scores were significantly different across the classifications (p < or = 0.01) due to low scores for Wigglesworth and Aberdeen. CODAC received the highest mean (SD) score of 3.40 (0.73) followed by PSANZ-PDC, ReCoDe and Tulip [2.77 (1.00), 2.36 (1.21), 1.92 (1.24) respectively]. Wigglesworth and Aberdeen resulted in a high proportion of unexplained stillbirths and CODAC and Tulip the lowest. While Ease scores were different (p < or = 0.01), all systems received satisfactory scores; CODAC received the highest score. Aberdeen and Wigglesworth showed poor agreement with kappas of 0.35 and 0.25 respectively. Tulip performed best with a kappa of 0.74. The remainder had good to fair agreement.

Conclusion

The Extended Wigglesworth and Amended Aberdeen systems cannot be recommended for classification of stillbirths. Overall, CODAC performed best with PSANZ-PDC and ReCoDe performing well. Tulip was shown to have the best agreement and a low proportion of unexplained stillbirths. The virtues of these systems need to be considered in the development of an international solution to classification of stillbirths. Further studies are required on the performance of classification systems in the context of developing countries. Suboptimal agreement highlights the importance of instituting measures to ensure consistency for any classification system.

SUBMITTER: Flenady V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2706223 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

An evaluation of classification systems for stillbirth.

Flenady Vicki V Frøen J Frederik JF Pinar Halit H Torabi Rozbeh R Saastad Eli E Guyon Grace G Russell Laurie L Charles Adrian A Harrison Catherine C Chauke Lawrence L Pattinson Robert R Koshy Rachel R Bahrin Safiah S Gardener Glenn G Day Katie K Petersson Karin K Gordon Adrienne A Gilshenan Kristen K

BMC pregnancy and childbirth 20090619

<h4>Background</h4>Audit and classification of stillbirths is an essential part of clinical practice and a crucial step towards stillbirth prevention. Due to the limitations of the ICD system and lack of an international approach to an acceptable solution, numerous disparate classification systems have emerged. We assessed the performance of six contemporary systems to inform the development of an internationally accepted approach.<h4>Methods</h4>We evaluated the following systems: Amended Aberd ...[more]

PMID: 19538759

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Project description:BackgroundHousehold surveys remain important sources of stillbirth data, but omission and misclassification are common. Classifying adverse pregnancy outcomes as stillbirths requires accurate reporting of vital status at birth and gestational age or birthweight for every pregnancy. Further categorisation, e.g. by sex, or timing (intrapartum/antepartum) improves data to understand and prevent stillbirth.MethodsWe undertook a cross-sectional population-based survey of women of reproductive age in five health and demographic surveillance system sites in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Uganda (2017-2018). All women answered a full birth history with pregnancy loss questions (FBH+) or a full pregnancy history (FPH). A sub-sample across both groups were asked additional stillbirth questions. Questions were evaluated using descriptive measures. Using an interpretative paradigm and phenomenology methodology, focus group discussions with women exploring barriers to reporting birthweight for stillbirths were conducted. Thematic analysis was guided by an a priori codebook.ResultsOverall 69,176 women reported 98,483 livebirths (FBH+) and 102,873 pregnancies (FPH). Additional questions were asked for 1453 stillbirths, 1528 neonatal deaths and 12,620 surviving children born in the 5 years prior to the survey. Completeness was high (> 99%) for existing FBH+/FPH questions on signs of life at birth and gestational age (months). Discordant responses in signs of life at birth between different questions were common; nearly one-quarter classified as stillbirths on FBH+/FPH were reported born alive on additional questions. Availability of information on gestational age (weeks) (58.1%) and birthweight (13.2%) was low amongst stillbirths, and heaping was common. Most women (93.9%) were able to report the sex of their stillborn baby. Response completeness for stillbirth timing (18.3-95.1%) and estimated proportion intrapartum (15.6-90.0%) varied by question and site. Congenital malformations were reported in 3.1% stillbirths. Perceived value in weighing a stillborn baby varied and barriers to weighing at birth a nd knowing birthweight were common.ConclusionsImproving stillbirth data in surveys will require investment in improving the measurement of vital status, gestational age and birthweight by healthcare providers, communication of these with women, and overcoming reporting barriers. Given the large burden and effect on families, improved data must be made available to end preventable stillbirths.

Project description:ImportanceRelative to what is known about pregnancy complications and sickle cell disease (SCD), little is known about the risk of pregnancy complications among those with sickle cell trait (SCT). There is a lack of clinical research among sickle cell carriers largely due to low sample sizes and disparities in research funding.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether there is an association between SCT and a stillbirth outcome.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study included data on deliveries occurring between January 1, 2010, and August 15, 2017, at 4 quaternary academic medical centers within the Penn Medicine health system in Pennsylvania. The population included a total of 2482 deliveries from 1904 patients with SCT but not SCD, and 215 deliveries from 164 patients with SCD. Data were analyzed from May 3, 2019, to September 16, 2021.ExposuresThe primary exposure of interest was SCT, identified using clinical diagnosis codes recorded in the electronic health record.Main outcomes and measuresA multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to assess the risk of stillbirth using the following risk factors: SCD, numbers of pain crises and blood transfusions before delivery, delivery episode (as a proxy for parity), prior cesarean delivery, multiple gestation, patient age, marital status, race and ethnicity, ABO blood type, Rhesus (Rh) factor, and year of delivery.ResultsThis cohort study included 50 560 patients (63 334 deliveries), most of whom were aged 25 to 34 years (29 387 of 50 560 [58.1%]; mean [SD] age, 29.5 [6.1] years), were single at the time of delivery (28 186 [55.8%]), were Black or African American (23 777 [47.0%]), had ABO blood type O (22 879 [45.2%]), and were Rhesus factor positive (44 000 [87.0%]). From this general population, 2068 patients (4.1%) with a sickle cell gene variation were identified: 1904 patients (92.1%) with SCT (2482 deliveries) and 164 patients (7.9%) with SCD (215 deliveries). In the fully adjusted model, SCT was associated with an increased risk of stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.94; 95% CI, 1.05-75.79; P = .045) while adjusting for the risk factors of SCD (aOR, 26.40; 95% CI, 2.48-280.90; P = .007) and multiple gestation (aOR, 4.68; 95% CI, 3.48-6.29; P < .001).Conclusions and relevanceThe results of this large, retrospective cohort study indicate an increased risk of stillbirth among pregnant people with SCT. These findings underscore the need for additional risk assessment during pregnancy for sickle cell carriers.

Dataset Information

An evaluation of classification systems for stillbirth.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

An evaluation of classification systems for stillbirth.

Similar Datasets

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