Abstract
The COVID-19 lockdown had a series of intended and unintended consequences, including reduced infections, changes in activities and work practices. Some of these changes may have been beneficial to perinatal outcomes, however other factors such as reduced access to face-to-face healthcare and/or reluctance to attend hospital for fear of exposure to infection may have contributed negatively to antenatal care. A systematic review suggests that preterm births have not significantly changed overall, but they have decreased in high-income countries. The aim of this audit was to compare neonatal admissions in the South West of England during 2020 to 2018 and 2019. Anonymised birth and neonatal admission rates from January-December 2020 was obtained and compared to data from 2018–2019. The results demonstrate a decreasing of neonatal unit admissions between 2018–2020 (p = 0.002). However, the reduction in neonatal unit admissions is observed from 2018 and there were no significant differences across gestational groups. It is unclear without nationwide data whether the trends observed in our audit are generalisable and related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the data have clinical significance and revisiting clinical practices like organisational and workforce issues is warranted. Future research exploring the impact of lockdowns on behaviour change during pregnancy is required to understand the reality of pregnancy and preterm birth.
Adolescent Perinatal Outcomes in South West Sydney, Australia