During Coronavirus Lockdowns, Some Doctors Wondered: Where Are the Preemies? - The New York Times

During Coronavirus Lockdowns, Some Doctors Wondered: Where Are the Preemies? - The New York Times

Doctors wonder at welcome drop in preemies

From Ireland to Australia, some hospitals are reporting that far fewer premature babies are being born during the coronavirus pandemic. During Demark’s lockdown, the birth rate of extremely premature infants decreased by 90% compared with the stable rate in the preceding 5 years. Perhaps pregnant women were getting more rest, or catching fewer infections in general, or inhaling less air pollution? More research is needed, but neonatologists hope that the answers could help to reduce the risk of being born too early.
The New York Times | 6 min read
Reference: medRxiv preprint 1 & medRxiv preprint 2