Validation of specific questionnaires to assess nausea and vomiting of pregnancy in a French population

Abstract

Objective: To validate the modified Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea (PUQE) score and the Health-Related Quality of Life for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP-QOL) score in a French population.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of data for women who delivered at a tertiary care hospital in La Roche sur Yon, France, between November 1, 2012, and April 1, 2013. Only women who reported nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) in the first trimester were invited to respond to the two questionnaires.

Results: Overall, complete questionnaires were available from 399 women, 238 (59.6%) of whom reported NVP in the first trimester. The modified-PUQE score was associated with the self-reported symptom severity (P<0.001). A relationship was also noted when either the NVP-QOL score or the modified-PUQE score was compared with the symptom intensity (P<0.001 for both comparisons). Furthermore, a high NVP-QOL score was associated with a high modified-PUQE score (P<0.001).

Conclusion: The modified-PUQE and NVP-QOL scores provided valid indices for assessing NVP severity and alterations in quality of life. Owing to its simplicity, the modified-PUQE score might be used routinely among women experiencing NVP in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Keywords: First trimester of pregnancy; Health-Related Quality of Life for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy score; Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy; Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea score; Quality of life; Questionnaire.