Conclusion
In today’s climate of limited research funding, it is imperative that
obstetric trials determine the benefits and harms of interventions based
on a comprehensive set of maternal and fetal-neonatal outcomes
considered important by patients and relevant stakeholders. Healthcare
researchers should be obliged to ensure that clinical research meets
this minimum standard, as mothers and their babies are entitled to care
that is based on reliable evidence. We report the development of the
Comprehensiveness of Outcome Reporting (COR) Tool, to assist trialists
in selecting the most holistic set of patient-centred outcomes, and
systematic reviewers in appraising the integrity of trials, which is
essential to the appropriate translation of research findings to
clinical care and health policy. We hope that its widespread use, will
go a long way in ensuring that clinical research in obstetrics is
focused on addressing patient-centered outcomes, thereby directly
improving the care of mothers and babies.