Collecting women's reproductive histories

Abstract

The importance of women's reproductive histories for scientific questions mandates rigor in collecting data. Unfortunately, few studies say much about how histories were constructed and validated. The aim of this report, therefore, is to illustrate the elements of a rigorous system of data collection. It focuses particularly on potential sources of inaccuracy in collecting reproductive histories and on options for avoiding them and evaluating the results. A few studies are exemplary in their description of methods of data collection and evaluation of data quality because they clearly address the main issues of ascertaining whether or not an event occurred and, if so, its timing. Fundamental variables such as chronological age, live birth, or marriage may have different meanings in different cultures or communities. Techniques start with asking the appropriate people meaningful questions that they can and will answer, in suitable settings, about themselves and others. Good community relations and well-trained, aware interviewers who check and cross-check, are fundamental. A range of techniques estimate age, date events, and optimize the value of imperfect data. Robust data collection procedures rely on skillful and knowledgeable interviewing. Reliability can be improved, evaluated and explained. Researchers can plan to implement robust data collection procedures and should assess their data for the scientific community to raise confidence in reproductive history data.

Milk at altitude: Human milk macronutrient composition in a high‐altitude adapted population of tibetans

“…Village altitudes range from 6,900 to 12,570 ft (2,090–3,830 m) and are populated by roughly 3,000 inhabitants. For the purposes of this study, villages were stratified into high and low categories, following prior research in the Nubri Valley (Beall and Leslie, ), with high villages defined as those above 10,000 ft in altitude and low villages defined as those below 10,000 ft in altitude.…”

Ethnically Tibetan women in Nepal with low hemoglobin concentration have better reproductive outcomes

“…As for strengths, three authors with extensive experience conducting reproductive history surveys in Tibetan societies designed the survey and its administration to collect the best quality data in these circumstances [ 32 ]. Interviewers were fluent in the local dialects of Tibetan, they used the Tibetan calendar system, and they followed up on potential omissions or errors.…”

“…A pregnancy history comprised the core of the reproductive survey. It followed procedures that have been field tested in numerous settings [ 32 ]. Questions began with marital history details, then the first pregnancy, the animal year of birth, the outcome (live birth, stillbirth or miscarriage), sex, name, currently alive or dead, age at death and cause of death, if applicable.…”

Impact of commercial farming on household reproductive strategies in Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico

“…According to Beall and Leslie (2014), asking about a wom-an's sequence of pregnancies and the outcome of each will improve recall. Because household level data were collected, all sons and daughters present were first included in the reproductive history and ordered by birth.…”

“…Spontaneous abortions, when remembered, were recorded. According to Beall and Leslie (2014), asking about a wom-an's sequence of pregnancies and the outcome of each will improve recall. We believe the setting was also helpful.…”