A new study from the National Maternity and perinatal Audit (NMPA) compares obstetric intervention and pregnancy outcomes in England during the COVID-19 pandemic (23 March 2020 to 22 February 2021) with births during the corresponding pre-pandemic calendar period one year earlier.
Responding to the study, Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“This new large scale study from the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) compares obstetric intervention and pregnancy outcomes in England during the COVID-19 pandemic with births one year earlier.
“The study offers reassurance that overall, pregnancy outcomes did not worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. The data around stillbirths reflects national ONS data which shows that the rate of stillbirths in England remained unchanged during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were also slightly lower rates of preterm birth and small for gestational age babies.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put huge pressure on all healthcare services. These findings are testament to the amazing efforts from maternity staff and NHS leaders to maintain a high standard of care, despite the challenges.”
ENDS
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Notes to Editor
- Obstetric interventions and pregnancy outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in England: A nationwide cohort study has been published online at PLOS Medicine