New data shows health outcomes for mums and bubs during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging time in recent Australian history. Public health measures, including changes to service delivery and lockdowns/stay at home orders, resulted in changes to the experience of pregnancy and childbirth for many women and their families.
Released last week, Maternal and perinatal outcomes during 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 pandemic compares the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia (2020 and 2021) with the expected trends based on years prior to the pandemic (2015 to 2019).
This includes information on demographics, uptake of antenatal care, labour and birth trends, and baby outcomes based on the data from the National Perinatal Data Collection.
In 2020 and 2021 combined, compared with what was expected, there were:
- 2,390 fewer babies born at a low birthweight
- 4,260 fewer babies requiring specialised care in a special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit
- 1,050 more women who birthed at home
- 2,330 fewer babies born pre-term
- 15,380 more women who birthed without labour being induced.
The first two years of the pandemic were, however, also associated with:
- 4,670 fewer first-time mothers attending the recommended 10 or more antenatal visits
- 880 more women experiencing high blood pressure during pregnancy.
A trend towards shorter postnatal stays continued during 2020 and 2021; but at a greater than expected rate, with 21,840 more mothers and 19,890 more babies staying in hospital for one day or less following a hospital birth.
Other research found that in the early stages of the pandemic, pregnant women experienced high levels of distress, which negatively impacted the mental health of mothers and led to pregnant women experiencing heightened depression, anxiety and stress. This, and COVID-19 infections among pregnant women, is an area for potential research using data linkage.
In terms of the characteristics and risk factors of birthing mothers, there didn’t appear to be a change associated with the pandemic. There was also no clear change in the stillbirth rate, which fluctuated between 6.7 and 7.7 per 1,000 births during the period of 2015 to 2021.
The report is not able to determine the cause of the changes observed, for example, whether the changes were due to COVID-19 infection, other pandemic-related factors such as individual and societal responses to the pandemic, public health measures, or other factors (events or initiatives) unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic.