Social distancing and extremely preterm births in the initial COVID-19 pandemic period.

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 (22^0/7-28^6/7 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

SUBMITTER: Shukla VV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11226398 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature