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

Vivek V Shukla; Benjamin A Carper; Namasivayam Ambalavanan; Matthew A Rysavy; Edward F Bell; Abhik Das; Ravi M Patel; Carl T D'Angio; Kristi L Watterberg; C Michael Cotten; Stephanie L Merhar; Myra H Wyckoff; Pablo J Sánchez; Neha Kumbhat; Waldemar A Carlo; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network

doi:10.1038/s41372-024-01898-3

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

Journal article

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

Vivek V Shukla, Benjamin A Carper, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Matthew A Rysavy, Edward F Bell, Abhik Das, Ravi M Patel, Carl T D'Angio, Kristi L Watterberg, C Michael Cotten, …

Journal of perinatology, Vol.44(7), pp.1050-1057

02/22/2024

DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01898-3

PMCID: PMC11226398

PMID: 38388715

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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 (220/7–286/7 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 = −0.23, 95% CI = −0.65, 0.18). Percent change in mean gestational age was positively correlated with SDI (CC = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.91). Conclusions Increased social distancing was not associated with change in incidence of EPLB but was associated with a higher gestational age of extremely preterm births.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Social distancing and extremely preterm births in the initial COVID-19 pandemic period
Creators: Vivek V Shukla - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Benjamin A Carper - RTI International
Namasivayam Ambalavanan - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Matthew A Rysavy - The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Edward F Bell - Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Abhik Das - RTI International
Ravi M Patel - Emory University School of Medicine
Carl T D'Angio - University of Rochester
Kristi L Watterberg - University of New Mexico
C Michael Cotten - Duke University
Stephanie L Merhar - University of Cincinnati
Myra H Wyckoff - The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Pablo J Sánchez - The Ohio State University
Neha Kumbhat - Stanford University School of Medicine
Waldemar A Carlo - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of perinatology, Vol.44(7), pp.1050-1057
DOI: 10.1038/s41372-024-01898-3
PMID: 38388715
PMCID: PMC11226398
NLM abbreviation: J Perinatol
eISSN: 1476-5543
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 02/22/2024
Academic Unit: Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Neonatology
Record Identifier: 9984561557102771

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