Impact of COVID-19 Public Health Restrictions on the Home Birth Trends in Alberta: An Observational Retrospective...

This study examined the association between public health restrictions and the point prevalence of home birth in Alberta between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2021 using administrative health data. Monthly home birth prevalences were examined over the pre-pandemic (n = 161 225), pandemic (n = 77 563), and pandemic wave periods via interrupted time series analysis. Logistic regression modelling estimated the association between home birth and monthly averaged Government Response Stringency Index. During the pandemic, home birth prevalence increased (pre-pandemic: 24.82, P < 0.001; slope: -0.02, P = 0.332; pandemic: level change:7.51, P = 0.006; slope change: -0.40, P = 0.061). Only the first pandemic wave showed an association between Government Response Stringency Index and the probability of home birth (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.03-1.33).