Beginning of pandemic saw fewer preterm births, finds U of M researchers
The number of preterm births decreased in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a global study co-led by University of Manitoba researchers.
‘The International Perinatal Outcomes in the Pandemic Study,’ which was published in the journal ‘Nature Human Behaviour,’ found that there was a three to four per cent reduction in preterm births during the first four months of lockdown. A birth is classified as preterm if it happens before 37 weeks of gestation.
“The pandemic presented this really interesting and unique natural experiment where the whole world essentially went through this exposure to lockdowns,” said Meghan Azad, associate professor of pediatrics at the U of M.
“This study, we weren’t looking at COVID infection itself, but just this idea that everyone’s lifestyle changed so drastically.”
During the study, which involved 167 collaborators across 42 countries, researchers examined more than 52 million births in 26 countries between January 2015 and July 2020. The research shows that the decrease in preterm births at the start of the pandemic was limited to high-income countries.
Azad, who is a Canada Research Chair in developmental origins of chronic disease, noted that a three to four per cent reduction may not sound like a big difference, but on a global level it is significant.
“We estimate actually that up to 50,000 preterm births were prevented in the first month of lockdown alone, so that’s a large number,” she said in an interview on Tuesday.
The next question that researchers are looking to answer is why there was this reduction.
Azad said some of the theories include that pregnant people had less stress while staying home. Other possibilities include decreased exposure to non-COVID infections, as well as reduced air pollution. Both infections and air pollution are known to cause inflammation, which contributes to preterm births.
Azad added that they are still not at the point to be able to give firm advice on what this means for pregnant people, but it shows there are potential ways of reducing preterm birth.
“I think there’s a lot to learn here from this terrible situation, but maybe a happy silver lining or accident around the pandemic is that we can learn things around preterm birth,” she said.
In an average year, there are an estimated 14.8 million preterm births across the world. Preterm births and related complications are the leading cause of infant mortality. Azad noted preterm births can also lead to life-long health problems, including breathing difficulties and learning disabilities.
“Preterm births in general affect up to 10 per cent of babies worldwide, so it’s a large number,” Azad said. “It’s an incredibly important problem.”
- With files from CTV’s Michelle Gerwing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.