73% reduction in number of pre-term births. Interesting article.

[Shinygoldbauble]

www.irishtimes.com/news/health/positive-lockdown-influence-credited-with-fall-in-pre-term-births-1.4275968%3fmode=amp
A hospital in Ireland saw a 73% reduction in pre-term births in the first 4 months this year compared to previous 20 years.
It will be interesting to see if hospitals elsewhere have similar statistics.

A hospital in Denmark had a 90% reduction in numbers.

That is very interesting. I wonder why that would be.

Wow

This is really interesting. I always wondered the extent to which commuting, being in the office, work stress etc put on the bodies of pregnant women especially in the last trimester.

Possible due to decrease in work related stress but you would think the stress of Corona would have replaced that.

Wow!

This is incredibly interesting. I hope more data are collected and more research done. Wondering whether MouseholeCat is on to something there.

It will be interesting to see if this pattern is widespread.
If so there will surely be an argument for maternity leave being extended to include at least the final trimester of pregnancy.

Probably as simple as women are resting more, no rushing about, stressing about getting everything ready whilst still working long hours.

I've also read somewhere that midwives are finding new mothers are having greater success with establishing breastfeeding due to not having constant streams of visitors wanting to hold baby. Time is just being spent bonding in those crucial early days. Does make you think.

As mum to a 9 week premmie I’m fascinated by this. He’s now 6 foot tall and 24 tomorrow but still 🥰

Less check ups, so less intervention? Less women going in for reduced movements etc so again less early inductions and c sections maybe part of it too.

Wow, that's amazing. My youngest 2 babies were premature and I'm wondering if they'd have been born later if they had been born in lockdown.

Bloody hell

Or a reduction in air pollution?

I honestly struggled to work from about 24 weeks pregnant. I had horrific SPD and back problems. I would cry every night and wonder how I was going to get through until 36 weeks.

I was urged by team (I am a nurse) to get signed of sick at 30 weeks until mat leave as I was just in so much pain and work was noticing how I’d slowed down and was using hot water bottles to just sit in a chair.

I felt like a complete failure leaving at 30 weeks because of the pressure on women to work right up until the end.

However, within 2 weeks of leaving, back pain stopped and I could walk further. Best thing I did and if I ever have another I would do it again.

I really don’t think women should be pressuring themselves to work right up until the end unless they feel they absolutely can.

The stress puts on a women’s body is immense and even getting up off the sofa at 34 weeks was a struggle.

I'd be very concerned if less women are being seen for reduced movements. They absolutely should be induced if clinically indicated. Midwives are still very much encouraging women to be checked as normal if they are concerned about movements. It saves lives.

There are lots of less favourable possibilities here. A high % of preterm births are medically induced.

Less prenatal monitoring means fewer inductions for various problems from slow growth to fetal distress. To interpret this data, we would need to know, among other things: the stillbirth rate, the neonatal death rate, stats about infant development, and stats about maternal health. (Not that great to deliver a baby at term, instead of three weeks early, if it means developing massive preeclampsia.)

Not much point in having a heavy baby if they're going to suffer from lifelong developmental problems, or if the mother's own health is fucked.

This is fascinating.

That is interesting though I'm not sure I agree with their suggested reasons. I think people, especially pregnant women have been more stressed giving birth recently with worries about hospitals, doing it alone, wearing masks etc, also I don't think lockdown has helped with family support, financial worries, relationship stress etc etc. I hope the reduction isn't due to people avoiding presenting, and potentially having a worse outcome than low birthweight baby?

I'm sure the hospital wouldn't have reported in this way if there was a corresponding increase in still births/maternal deaths etc from complications.

Just to add regarding reduced movement etc, my baby was born during the peak and I was still seen by the hospital for reduced movement and extra scans twice. I would be surprised (horrified) if anybody else had a different experience as it’s so vital in the last few weeks.

I would hope the reduction in preterm pregnancies were due women having more rest and less stress (well without being terrified of Covid).

That's interesting. I'm not sure if it could be to do with less stress because, AFAIK, there aren't more preterm births in really stressful situations eg war time for example. And plenty of people have found lockdown quite stressful.

It is - does it relate to more neonatal deaths? or unfavourable outcomes?
Many more heart conditions can be diagnosed invitreo and then treated.

Less check ups, so less intervention? Less women going in for reduced movements etc so again less early inductions and c sections maybe part of it too

Not this.

Antenatal appointments and scans have carried on as normal, albeit with precautions in place, and women have been strongly encouraged to still seek support if they are worried for any reason or notice a change in their babys movements. An early caesarean or induction would only be carried out if clinically indicated not just because someone someone went in for reduced movements.

Probably as simple as women are resting more, no rushing about, stressing about getting everything ready whilst still working long hours.

Probably this.

Despite having to home school, my stress levels have dropped massively during lockdown to the point that DH has commented on how much more relaxed and chilled out I seem. I'm not having to rush here, there and everywhere. No frustrating meetings with school (two children with SN who are on the SEN register). No school run hassle of trying to get four DC out of the door and to three separate schools without them or me losing our shit. No after school clubs and activities to deal with. Less laundry with no uniforms or kits. DH working from home so a spare pair of hands on tap when I need them and help with bedtime every night.

I hope someone examines air pollution as a possible cause.

Also noise pollution as a stressor: less traffic and no planes is calming, though I've noticed amount of noise beginning to creep back up