Childbirth experience questionnaire: validating its use in the United Kingdom

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Psychological Sciences
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) was developed in Sweden in 2010.
• It has not previously been validated in the United Kingdom (UK).
• A validated tool is needed in the UK to measure women's childbirth experiences, as recommended by NICE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) in a UK population.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the CEQ for measuring childbirth experiences.

Main Methods:

• The CEQ was administered to 350 postnatal women, with a second administration for test-retest reliability.
• Face validity was assessed with 25 postnatal mothers.
• Construct validity was determined using known-groups validation, and criterion validity was assessed against the UK's Maternity Survey.

Main Results:

• The CEQ demonstrated face validity, being easy to understand and complete.
• Construct validity was supported by statistically significant differences in scores between subgroups.
• Test-retest reliability was good (weighted kappa = 0.68), and criterion validity was strong (Pearson correlation = 0.73) when compared to the Maternity Survey.

Conclusions:

• The Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) is a valid and reliable instrument.
• The CEQ is suitable for measuring childbirth experience in the UK population.