Health care in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic and pregnancy outcomes in six low-and-middle-income countries: Evidence from a prospective, observational registry of the global network for women's and children's health

Document Type

Article

Department

Community Health Sciences

Abstract

Objective: On a population basis, we assessed medical care for pregnant women in specific geographic regions of six countries before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in relationship to pregnancy outcomes.
Design: Prospective, population-based study.
Setting: Communities in Kenya, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, India, and Guatemala.
Population: Pregnant women enrolled in the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health's Maternal and Newborn Health Registry METHODS: Pregnancy/delivery care services and pregnancy outcomes in the pre-COVID-19 time-period (March 2019-February 2020) were compared to the COVID-19 time-period (March 2020-February 2021).
Main outcome measures: Stillbirth, neonatal mortality, preterm birth, low birth weight, maternal mortality RESULTS: Across all sites, a small but statistically significant increase in home births occurred between the pre-COVID and COVID periods. (18.9% vs 20.3%, aRR 1.12 95% CI 1.05, 1.19). Also, a small but significant decrease in the mean number of antenatal care visits (4.1 - 4.0, p= Conclusions: Small but significant increases in home births and decreases in the ANC services were observed during the initial COVID-19 period; however, there was not an increase in the stillbirth, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality, low birth weight or preterm birth rates during the COVID-19 period as compared to the prior year. Further research should help elucidate the relationship between access to and use of pregnancy-related medical services and birth outcomes over an extended period.

Publication (Name of Journal)

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

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