TY - JOUR
T1 - Danish premature birth rates during the COVID-19 lockdown
AU - Hedermann, Gitte
AU - Hedley, Paula Louise
AU - Bækvad-Hansen, Marie
AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik
AU - Rostgaard, Klaus
AU - Poorisrisak, Porntiva
AU - Breindahl, Morten
AU - Melbye, Mads
AU - Hougaard, David M
AU - Christiansen, Michael
AU - Lausten-Thomsen, Ulrik
N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - To explore the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on premature birth rates in Denmark, a nationwide register-based prevalence proportion study was conducted on all 31 180 live singleton infants born in Denmark between 12 March and 14 April during 2015-2020.The distribution of gestational ages (GAs) was significantly different (p=0.004) during the lockdown period compared with the previous 5 years and was driven by a significantly lower rate of extremely premature children during the lockdown compared with the corresponding mean rate for the same dates in the previous years (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40, p<0.001). No significant difference between the lockdown and previous years was found for other GA categories.The reasons for this decrease are unclear. However, the lockdown has provided a unique opportunity to examine possible factors related to prematurity. Identification of possible causal mechanisms might stimulate changes in clinical practice.
AB - To explore the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on premature birth rates in Denmark, a nationwide register-based prevalence proportion study was conducted on all 31 180 live singleton infants born in Denmark between 12 March and 14 April during 2015-2020.The distribution of gestational ages (GAs) was significantly different (p=0.004) during the lockdown period compared with the previous 5 years and was driven by a significantly lower rate of extremely premature children during the lockdown compared with the corresponding mean rate for the same dates in the previous years (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40, p<0.001). No significant difference between the lockdown and previous years was found for other GA categories.The reasons for this decrease are unclear. However, the lockdown has provided a unique opportunity to examine possible factors related to prematurity. Identification of possible causal mechanisms might stimulate changes in clinical practice.
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Denmark/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Infant, Extremely Premature
KW - Infant, Newborn
KW - Pandemics
KW - Premature Birth/epidemiology
KW - Prevalence
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Social Isolation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091885160&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319990
DO - 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319990
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 32788391
SN - 1359-2998
VL - 106
SP - F93-F95
JO - Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition
JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition
IS - 1
ER -