An Evaluation of Use of Maternal Recalled Birth Size as a Proxy Measure of Birth Weight

M. Mazharul Islam, Sultan Qaboos University

This paper evaluates the utility of maternal recalled birth size (BS) as a proxy measure of numeric birth weight (BW) when BW data are missing. Data come from the 2000 National Health Survey (NHS) of Oman. The survey collected retrospectively recalled BS data from mother and BW measures from health card of last born under five children. Mother’s assessment of BS was found to be closely linked to BW on aggregate level. However, on individual level there were misclassification of birth weights across the categories of BS. The overall agreement between recalled BS and recorded BW was moderate (k=0.442). Estimates of LBW based on maternal assessments of BS as small should be considered as an underestimate of the actual prevalence of LBW.