Table 4

Performance of questioning women in a survey for the diagnosis of eclampsia, hemorrhage, infection, jaundice and several procedures during pregnancy or childbirth as indicators of SMM (n = 509)

Sensitivity

[95% CI]

Specificity

[95% CI]

Likelihood ratio

[95% CI]

Eclampsia

Woman had convulsions, seizures or "crisis" during pregnancy, delivery or postpartum

96.4

[79.8-99.8]

87.5

[84.2 - 90.3]

7.7

[6.4-9.9]

The previous plus: woman had not had convulsions before

89.3

[70.6-97.2]

90.9

[87,8 - 93,2]

9.8

[7.16-13.30]

The previous plus with an increase in blood pressure, swelling and "turbid vision" during pregnancy, delivery or postpartum

35,7

[19,3-55,9]

95,4

[93,0 - 97,0]

7.8

[4.10-14.85]

Hemorrhage

Women had bleeding during pregnancy or an increased bleeding during delivery or postpartum

81.0

[68.7-89.4]

69.7

[65.2 - 73.9]

2.7

[2.22-3.22]

The previous plus: bleeding wet the clothes, the bed or the floor

55.6

[42.6-67.9]

81.6

[77.6 - 85.0]

3.0

[2.25-4.06]

Infection

Woman had high fever during pregnancy or after delivery

69.2

[48.1-84.9]

77.2

[73.2 - 80.8]

3.0

[2.24-4.12]

The previous plus chills, with no other disease, with stinky vaginal discharge

23.1

[9.8-44.1]

92.8

[90.0 - 94.8]

3.2

[1.47-6.88]

Jaundice

Women became yellow during pregnancy or after birth

57.1

[20.2 - 88.2]

82.3

[78.6 - 85.5]

3.2

[1.65 - 6.29]

The previous plus: Nobody else in the family or neighborhood became yellow next the time she also became yellow

57.1

[20.2 - 88.2]

83.3

[79.6 - 86.4]

3.4

[1.75 - 6.68]

Procedure

Hysterectomy

100.0

[85.4 - 100.0]

99.6

[98.3 - 99.9]

240.0*

[60.20-956.88]

Admission to Intensive Care Unit

97.1

[94.8 - 98.5]

96.0

[90.4 - 98.5]

24.3*

[10.29-57.33]

Blood transfusion

89.8

[81.6 - 94.7]

92.9

[89.9 - 95.1]

12.6*

[8.90-18.19]

Laparotomy

69.2

[48.1 - 84.9]

88.2

[84.9 - 90.9]

5.9

[4.12-8.36]

Inter-hospital transfer

86.5

[78.4 - 92.0]

74.6

[70.0 - 78.8]

3.4

[2.84-4.10]

Mechanical ventilation

84.8

[73.4 - 92.1]

70.9

[66.4 - 75.0]

2.9

[2.44-3.48]

Postpartum stay > one week

87.7

[79.9 - 92.9]

65.3

[60.4 - 70.0]

2.5

[2.17-2.94]

Souza et al. Reproductive Health 2010 7:16   doi:10.1186/1742-4755-7-16