Social Distancing and Extremely Preterm Births in the Initial COVID-19 Pandemic Period

Overview

Journal J Perinatol

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2024 Feb 22

PMID 38388715

Authors

Vivek V Shukla

Benjamin A Carper

Namasivayam Ambalavanan

Matthew A Rysavy

Edward F Bell

Abhik Das

Ravi M Patel

Carl T DAngio

Kristi L Watterberg

C Michael Cotten

Stephanie L Merhar

Myra H Wyckoff

Pablo J Sanchez

Neha Kumbhat

Waldemar A Carlo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hypothesis: Increased social distancing was associated with a lower incidence of extremely preterm live births (EPLB) during the initial COVID-19 pandemic period.

Study Design: Prospective study at the NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites comparing EPLB (22-28 weeks) and extremely preterm intrapartum stillbirths (EPIS) rates during the pandemic period (March-July, weeks 9-30 of 2020) with the reference period (same weeks in 2018 and 2019), correlating with state-specific social distancing index (SDI).

Results: EPLB and EPIS percentages did not significantly decrease (1.58-1.45%, p = 0.07, and 0.08-0.06%, p = 0.14, respectively). SDI was not significantly correlated with percent change of EPLB (CC = 0.29, 95% CI = -0.12, 0.71) or EPIS (CC = -0.23, 95% CI = -0.65, 0.18). Percent change in mean gestational age was positively correlated with SDI (CC = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.91).

Conclusions: Increased social distancing was not associated with change in incidence of EPLB but was associated with a higher gestational age of extremely preterm births.

Clinicaltrials:

Gov Id: Generic Database: NCT00063063.

Citing Articles

Characteristics and Rates of Preterm Births During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany.

Staude B, Misselwitz B, Louwen F, Rochwalsky U, Oehmke F, Kohler S JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7(9):e2432438.

PMID: 39254973 PMC: 11388025. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.32438.

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