Preterm birth is a major predictor of how much an individual will cost hospital service providers during the first 5 years of life.

This study provides evidence that the SF-6D is an empirically valid and efficient alternative multi-attribute utility measure to the EQ-5D, and is capable of discriminating between external indicators of health status. However, health economists should also consider other psychometric properties, such as practicality and reliability, when selecting either measure for evaluative purposes.

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Compared with mainstream classmates, children who are born extremely early continue to have higher levels of parent- and teacher-reported emotional, attentional, and peer problems well into their teens. However, despite these problems, they do not show signs of more serious conduct disorders, delinquency, drug use, or depression.

Women wished to be treated with respect and dignity and given appropriate information and support. They wanted their distress recognized, to feel cared for and to have confidence in health professionals in situations where outcomes are uncertain. Women acknowledged receiving care from motivated and skilled health professionals and value the children they have enormously. For many, there is now a sense of being complete, though for some this has been at great emotional and financial cost.

Objective The objective of this study was to measure the agreement between hospital records and maternal reporting of mode of delivery in a representative UK sample.Design Population-based survey (Millennium Cohort Study).Setting UK. Methods Mothers were interviewed when infants were approximately 9 months old. Information was collected by interview on many obstetric and perinatal factors including mode of delivery. Record linkage to the mother's delivery hospital records was undertaken in those who gave consent (90%). A matching record was found for 83%. Maternal report and hospital records were compared using mode of delivery classified into three (normal, assisted and caesarean) and six groups. Factors associated with disagreement between the two data sources were identified.Main outcome measure Proportion of records in which there was agreement between the two data sources.Results Agreement between maternal report and hospital records was at least 94% using six mode of delivery groups and 98% using three groups. Much of the disagreement (57-63%, depending on country) was between forceps and ventouse, and between planned and emergency caesarean. Disagreement was more common in women whose babies were first born and in women not born in the UK.Conclusion Our study confirms that maternal reporting of mode of delivery is highly reliable. This is important for clinical staff caring for women and those conducting epidemiological studies. Additional data sources may be necessary to gather reliable data from ethnic minority women, particularly those born outside the UK, or to distinguish forceps from ventouse, or planned from emergency caesarean section.

Women responded as individuals and despite different clinical circumstances, the role of the staff and the institutions in which care was provided were key factors in the way most women constructed their cesarean section experience. The themes described present a powerful argument and reminder about why health professionals working in maternity care need to continue to listen to women.

Objective: To ascertain the health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation (extremely low gestational age (ELGA)) and to compare those in mainstream school with classroom controls. Methods: Three geographically defined cohorts of babies born in 1983 and 1984 were traced at the age of 15-16 years. Their health, abilities, and educational performance were ascertained using postal questionnaires to the teenagers themselves, their parents, their general practitioners, and the teachers of those in mainstream school. Identical questionnaires were sent to classroom controls. Results: Of the 218 teenagers surviving to the age of 16 years, information was obtained on 179. Of these, 29 were in special schools and 150 in mainstream school, 10 of whom had severe motor or sensory impairment. Using the Child Health Questionnaire, parents of teenagers in mainstream school reported a higher incidence of problems than controls in physical functioning (difference in mean scores 9.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.9 to 13.1)) and family life (difference in mean scores for family cohesion 7.0 (95% CI 1.6 to 12.4)). In all areas of learning, teachers rated the ability of the ELGA teenagers in mainstream school lower than the control group. Parents of teenagers in special schools reported a higher rate of problems in most areas. Conclusions: One in six ELGA survivors at age 16 years have severe disabilities and are in special schools. Most ELGA survivors are in mainstream school and are coping well as they enter adult life, although some will continue to need additional health, educational, and social services.