E Celetta, E Lorthe, G Cattani, M Epiney, S Grylka-Baeschlin, A N Mueller, J Sormani, M Suppan, I N Widmer, L Gaucher, T Desplanches
Obstetric Quality of Recovery-10 retained acceptable psychometric properties within the first 30 days postpartum, supporting its use as a brief recovery measure. However, it may not provide a comprehensive assessment of the broader dimensions of outpatient postpartum recovery later in the first month.
BACKGROUND: The Obstetric Quality of Recovery-10 scoring tool is a brief patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess early recovery after childbirth. Its validation is primarily limited to the first three days postpartum, although it has been applied during the first postpartum week. We aimed to evaluate its psychometric properties across the first postpartum month among independent groups of women assessed once at 0-2, 3-7, or 8-30 days postpartum.
METHODS: We conducted a psychometric evaluation using cross-sectional data from a national Swiss multilingual cohort (French, German, Italian, and English). Each woman completed the Obstetric Quality of Recovery-10 and the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels once within 30 days postpartum. Clinical data were extracted from medical records. Analyses were performed across three postpartum periods. Structural validity, measurement invariance, reliability, construct validity, and interpretability were assessed.
RESULTS: Overall, 1935 women were included. Structural validity supported a consistent four-factor structure with excellent fit, and bifactor analysis supported essential unidimensionality. Metric and scalar measurement invariance was supported across postpartum periods. Reliability was good (Cronbach's alpha 0.83-0.86). Correlations with the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels were strong at 0-2 days and moderate thereafter (Spearman correlation -0.51 to -0.30). Known-groups validity was supported by significantly lower scores among women with poorer health status, postpartum haemorrhage, and operative vaginal or caesarean delivery (all P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Obstetric Quality of Recovery-10 retained acceptable psychometric properties within the first 30 days postpartum, supporting its use as a brief recovery measure. However, it may not provide a comprehensive assessment of the broader dimensions of outpatient postpartum recovery later in the first month.