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Birthweight recall by mothers of Israeli children
R Gofin1, Y D Neumark, B Adler
1Department of Social Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization and the Braun Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
Insights
Maternally recalled birthweight (BW) is a reliable measure for 6-year-old children when records are unavailable. Most mothers accurately recall their child's BW, validating this method for public health research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Accurate birthweight (BW) data is crucial for child health monitoring.
- Maternal recall of BW is often used when official records are missing.
- Assessing the reliability and validity of recalled BW is essential for research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy and consistency of maternally recalled birthweight (BW) in 6-year-old children.
- To compare recalled BW with documented BW from health records.
- To determine if recalled BW is a valid substitute for recorded BW in research.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 259 children in Jerusalem compared recalled BW with official records from a Mother and Child Health Clinic.
- Statistical analysis examined differences and correlations between recalled and recorded BW.
- Mothers' recall accuracy was assessed within specific weight ranges (±100g, ±500g).
Main Results:
- No significant difference was found between mean recalled and recorded BW (P>0.05).
- 58% of mothers recalled BW within 100g, and 80% within 500g.
- High correlation coefficients (0.89–0.96) between recalled and recorded BW were observed.
Conclusions:
- Maternally recalled birthweight is a reliable and valid measure for children at age 6.
- This method is justified for use in public health studies when birth records are inaccessible.
- The findings support the use of maternal recall as a dependable data source in epidemiological research.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of maternally recalled birthweight (BW) in a population of 6-y-old children in Jerusalem. The study population consisted of 259 children entering the first grade in two schools in the city. We compare the recalled BW at entrance to school and the BW values as recorded in the Mother and Child Health Clinic of the Hadassah Community Health Center. The mean recalled BW was 11.7 g lower than the mean recorded BW (P>0.05). There were no statistical differences in mean BW values between the two data sources (according to socio-demographic characteristics) except for mother's age and origin, where no trends could be detected. Fifty-eight percent of the mothers accurately recalled the BW of their children to within 100 g and 80% recalled the BW to within 500 g. Seventy-three percent of mothers of low-birthweight children recalled a BW value of less than 2500 g and 99% of mothers of normal BW children recalled a BW of 2500 g or more. Correlation coefficients between the two sources ranged from 0.89 to 0.96. Given the high degree of accuracy, maternally recalled birthweight is a reliable and valid measure of birthweight 6 y post-partum and its use is justified when no records of birthweight are available. Public Health (2000) 114, 161-163
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