Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: University students' awareness of causes and risk factors of miscarriage: a cross -sectional 
study.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 22 Sep 2018  
 
Reviewer : Rashmi Kudesia  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
- Discuss response rate and how sample reflects general population  
- Explain validation of questions - how were questions written, was any evaluation done to 
assess for clarity  
- Please revise for small grammatical errors - in results, the sentence describing ages of 
respondents is a run -on, and unclear. Please reword. The word "flu" does not need to be 
capitalized, etc.  
- Explain the rationale behind why age is categorized as su ch (tertiles?)  
- Most importantly, when it comes to assessing knowledge regarding reproductive health 
and fertility/miscarriage, correct/incorrect is important, but so is the percentage of 
respondents who over -estimate fertility, under -estimate miscarriage , etc. Though those 
that over -estimate risk are perhaps suffering from unnecessary stress, the risk for those 
who underestimate risk has serious ramifications. I would prefer to see a discussion of 
results that focuses on this paradigm, and discussed more clearly the potential impact of 
the specific patterns seen.  
- Figure 1 should discriminate between those potential causes of miscarriage that have a 
scientific basis and those that do not.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain  or lose financially from the publication of this  
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financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the fut ure? 
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of  the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
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below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
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