Impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on the incidence of preterm birth: a national quasi-experimental study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Preterm birth is the leading cause of child mortality globally, with many survivors experiencing long-term adverse consequences. Preliminary evidence suggests that numbers of preterm births greatly reduced following implementation of policy measures aimed at mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to study the impact of the COVID-19 mitigation measures implemented in the Netherlands in a stepwise fashion on March 9, March 15, and March 23, 2020, on the incidence of preterm birth.

Methods

We used a national quasi-experimental difference-in-regression-discontinuity approach. We used data from the neonatal dried blood spot screening programme (2010-20) cross-validated against national perinatal registry data. Stratified analyses were done according

SUBMITTER: Been JV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7553867 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature