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Impact of the COVID ‐19 pandemic and multiple community lockdowns on total live birth rates and preterm births in Melbourne, Australia
Author(s) -
Stansfield Scott,
Rattan Arsheeya,
Mol Ben W.,
Rolnik Daniel L.,
Malhotra Atul
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/ajo.13527
Subject(s) - gestation , pandemic , covid-19 , live birth , medicine , birth rate , demography , obstetrics , premature birth , pregnancy , environmental health , biology , population , fertility , virology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , genetics , disease , sociology , outbreak
We evaluated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and Melbourne's multiple community lockdowns (between 2020–21) on total live birth rates and preterm births in a large health network. Analysis revealed a decrease in total live birth rates following easing of initial lockdowns, and a sharp increase in births at one stage in between lockdowns. The proportion and number of preterm births (<37 weeks gestation) decreased at the start of initial lockdowns with the strongest decrease after the end of the second lockdown period. Births <34 weeks gestation also decreased during lockdowns, but no significant change was identified for births <28 weeks gestation.