Preterm birth after the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark: a registry-based difference-in-differences study
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Preterm birth after the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark : a registry-based difference-in-differences study. / Oakley, Laura L.; Ortqvist, Anne K.; Kinge, Jonas; Hansen, Anne Vinkel; Petersen, Tanja Gram; Soderling, Jonas; Telle, Kjetil E.; Magnus, Maria C.; Mortensen, Laust Hvas; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Stephansson, Olof; Haberg, Siri E.
In: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 226, No. 4, ARTN 550.e1-22, 2022.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Preterm birth after the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
T2 - a registry-based difference-in-differences study
AU - Oakley, Laura L.
AU - Ortqvist, Anne K.
AU - Kinge, Jonas
AU - Hansen, Anne Vinkel
AU - Petersen, Tanja Gram
AU - Soderling, Jonas
AU - Telle, Kjetil E.
AU - Magnus, Maria C.
AU - Mortensen, Laust Hvas
AU - Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo
AU - Stephansson, Olof
AU - Haberg, Siri E.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - BACKGROUND: Although some studies have reported a decrease in preterm birth following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings are inconsistent.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the incidences of preterm birth before and after the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Scandinavian countries using robust population-based registry data.STUDY DESIGN: This was a registry-based difference-in-differences study using births from January 2014 through December 2020 in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The changes in the preterm birth (RESULTS: A total of 1,519,521 births were included in this study. During the study period, 5.6% of the births were preterm in Norway and Sweden, and 5.7% were preterm in Denmark. There was a seasonal variation in the incidence of preterm birth, with the highest incidence during winter. In all the 3 countries, there was a slight overall decline in preterm births from 2014 to 2020. There was no consistent evidence of a change in the preterm birth rates following the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures, with difference-in-differences estimates ranging from 3.7 per 1000 births (95% confidence interval, -3.8 to 11.1) for the first 2 weeks after March 12, 2020, to -1.8 per 1000 births (95% confidence interval, -4.6 to 1.1) in the 16 weeks after March 12, 2020. Similarly, there was no evidence of an impact on medically indicated preterm birth, spontaneous preterm birth, or very preterm birth.CONCLUSION: Using high-quality national data on births in 3 Scandinavian countries, each of which implemented different approaches to address the pandemic, there was no evidence of a decline in preterm births following the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures.
AB - BACKGROUND: Although some studies have reported a decrease in preterm birth following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings are inconsistent.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the incidences of preterm birth before and after the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Scandinavian countries using robust population-based registry data.STUDY DESIGN: This was a registry-based difference-in-differences study using births from January 2014 through December 2020 in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The changes in the preterm birth (RESULTS: A total of 1,519,521 births were included in this study. During the study period, 5.6% of the births were preterm in Norway and Sweden, and 5.7% were preterm in Denmark. There was a seasonal variation in the incidence of preterm birth, with the highest incidence during winter. In all the 3 countries, there was a slight overall decline in preterm births from 2014 to 2020. There was no consistent evidence of a change in the preterm birth rates following the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures, with difference-in-differences estimates ranging from 3.7 per 1000 births (95% confidence interval, -3.8 to 11.1) for the first 2 weeks after March 12, 2020, to -1.8 per 1000 births (95% confidence interval, -4.6 to 1.1) in the 16 weeks after March 12, 2020. Similarly, there was no evidence of an impact on medically indicated preterm birth, spontaneous preterm birth, or very preterm birth.CONCLUSION: Using high-quality national data on births in 3 Scandinavian countries, each of which implemented different approaches to address the pandemic, there was no evidence of a decline in preterm births following the introduction of COVID-19 mitigation measures.
KW - COVID-19
KW - pregnancy outcomes
KW - preterm birth
KW - retrospective
KW - Scandinavia
KW - OUTCOMES
KW - QUALITY
KW - SYSTEM
KW - IMPACT
KW - POLICY
KW - RATES
U2 - 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.11.034
DO - 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.11.034
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34774824
VL - 226
JO - American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
JF - American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
SN - 0002-9378
IS - 4
M1 - ARTN 550.e1-22
ER -
ID: 313862406