different definitions and study design, and their results may not be generalised to women
who do not deliver in hospital. Thus, self-reported maternal morbidity cannot provide
exact estimates of prevalence and incidence. However, until a more comprehensive data
collection on all deliveries, especially in the developing world, will become available,
self-reports in response to well-designed and well worded interviews may be the only
way to collect information about maternal morbidity4.