TABLE 1.
Preterm births: risk ratios comparing the pandemic with the pre‐pandemic period
| Pandemic | Pre‐pandemic | Pandemic vs. pre‐pandemic period | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total births, n = 60 323 | Total births, n = 244 363 | Risk ratio (95% CI) | Risk difference, per mille (95% CI) | |||
| Events (n) | Prevalence per 1000 | Events (n) | Prevalence per 1000 | |||
| GA 22–27 weeks + 6 days, all | 214 | 3.55 | 982 | 4.02 | 0.88 (0.76–1.02) | −0.47 (−1.01 to 0.07) |
| Live born | 150 | 2.49 | 711 | 2.91 | 0.85 (0.72–1.02) | −0.42 (−0.87 to 0.03) |
| Stillbirths | 64 | 1.06 | 271 | 1.11 | 0.96 (0.73–1.26) | −0.05 (−0.34 to 0.24) |
| GA 28–31 weeks + 6 days, all | 374 | 6.20 | 1663 | 6.80 | 0.91 (0.82–1.02) | −0.61 (−1.31 to 0.10) |
| Live born | 349 | 5.78 | 1575 | 6.44 | 0.90 (0.80–1.01) | −0.66 (−1.34 to 0.02) |
| Stillbirths | 25 | 0.41 | 88 | 0.36 | 1.15 (0.74–1.79) | 0.05 (−0.12 to 0.23) |
| GA 32–36 weeks + 6 days, all | 3044 | 50.46 | 12 712 | 52.00 | 0.97 (0.93–1.01) | −1.56 (−3.52 to 0.40) |
| Live born | 3003 | 49.77 | 12 564 | 51.39 | 0.97 (0.93–1.01) | −1.63 (−3.58 to 0.31) |
| Stillbirths | 41 | 0.68 | 148 | 0.61 | 1.12 (0.79–1.59) | 0.07 (−0.16 to 0.30) |
| GA 22–36 weeks + 6 days, all | 3632 | 60.21 | 15 357 | 62.85 | 0.96 (0.93–0.99) | −2.64 (−4.76 to −0.51) |
| Live born | 3502 | 58.05 | 14 850 | 60.77 | 0.96 (0.92–0.99) | −2.72 (−4.81 to −0.62) |
| Stillbirths | 130 | 2.16 | 507 | 2.07 | 1.04 (0.86–1.26) | 0.08 (−0.33 to 0.49) |
Note: Pandemic period: the 1‐year period from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021. Pre‐pandemic period: the 4‐year period 1 March 2016 to 28 February 2020. Pandemic period: total births: 60 323 (9 with missing gestational age were excluded). Pre‐pandemic period: total births: 244 363 (98 with missing gestational age were excluded).