[COVID-19 and lockdown: Impact on pregnancy complications]

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated unprecedented public health interventions, including national lockdowns.
• Understanding the impact of these lockdowns on sensitive obstetric outcomes is crucial for maternal and child health.
• France implemented a national lockdown from March 17th to May 11th, 2020.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 national lockdown on hospitalization rates for threatened preterm delivery.
• To assess the effect of the lockdown on the overall rate of preterm delivery.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter retrospective epidemiological study was conducted.
• Data from March 15th to May 31st, 2020 (lockdown period) were compared to the same periods in 2018 and 2019.
• Hospitals in the Picardy region of France participated, including University Hospital center Amiens Picardie, Hospital Center of Beauvais, Compiègne, and Saint-Quentin.

Main Results:

• A total of 608 patients were included in the study.
• Hospitalizations for threatened preterm delivery decreased from 207 in 2019 to 176 in 2020.
• A significant reduction was observed in the rate of Premature Ruptures of Membranes (9.7% in 2020 vs. 16.9% in 2018/2019, P=0.02).
• The preterm delivery rate also significantly decreased during the lockdown period (6.8% in 2020 vs. 9.3% in 2018/2019, P<0.05).

Conclusions:

• The first national lockdown in France was associated with a reduction in the rate of preterm birth.
• Further research should explore the psychological impact of lockdown measures on pregnant individuals.
• These findings underscore the complex relationship between societal changes and obstetric outcomes.