COVID-19 and Births in British Columbia

COVID-19 Research Area(s): Epidemiology & Public Health, Healthcare Delivery & Policy

1) Purpose: Using the British Columbia Perinatal Data Registry (BCPDR), we aim to evaluate the temporal trends in birth rates within British Columbia prior to and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
 2) Hypothesis: Our study hypothesis is that birth rates (including live births and stillbirths) during the period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will decrease significantly compared with similar periods in preceding years, with the greatest reduction among the assisted reproductive technology (ART) population given reduced access to services. However, the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes (pre-term birth, stillbirth, pre-eclampsia) may not be significantly different.