Social distancing and extremely preterm births in the initial COVID-19 pandemic period

Abstract Hypothesis Increased social distancing was associated with a lower incidence of extremely preterm live births (EPLB) during the initial COVID-19 pandemic period. Study design Prospective study at the NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites comparing EPLB (22 0/7 –28 6/7 weeks) and extremely preterm intrapartum stillbirths (EPIS) rates during the pandemic period (March-July, weeks 9–30 of 2020) with the reference period (same weeks in 2018 and 2019), correlating with state-specific social distancing index (SDI). Results EPLB and EPIS percentages did not significantly decrease (1.58–1.45%, p = 0.07, and 0.08–0.06%, p = 0.14, respectively). SDI was not significantly correlated with percent change of EPLB (CC = 0.29, 95% CI = −0.12, 0.71) or EPIS (CC = −0.23, 95% CI = −0.65, 0.18). Percent change in mean gestational age was positively correlated with SDI (CC = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.91). Conclusions Increased social distancing was not associated with change in incidence of EPLB but was associated with a higher gestational age of extremely preterm births. ClinicalTrials.gov ID Generic Database: NCT00063063.