The impact of COVID-19 on the birth rate in Nigeria: a report from population-based registries

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic that has become a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting the physical and mental health of individuals influencing reproduction. Despite the threat, it poses to maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa an...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Oguejiofor, Charlotte Blanche, Ebubechukwu, Kenechi Miracle, Eleje, George Uchenna, Ugwu, Emmanuel Onyebuchi, Enebe, Joseph Tochukwu, Ekwuazi, Kingsley Emeka, Okoro, Chukwuemeka Chukwubuikem, Okpala, Boniface Chukwuneme, Okafor, Charles Chukwunomunso, Ezeora, Nnanyelugo Chima, Iloghalu, Emeka Ifeanyi, Anikwe, Chidebe Christian, Okafor, Chigozie Geoffrey, Agu, Polycarp Uchenna, Igbodike, Emeka Philip, Ake, Iffiyeosuo Dennis, Onwuegbuna, Arinze Anthony, Umeononihu, Osita Samuel, Anaedu, Onyedika Promise, Ikpeze, Odigonma Zinobia, Ikwuka, David Chibuike, Nwaolisa, Henry Ifeanyi, Emeka, Ekene Agatha, Okoye, Jude Ogechukwu, Osuagwu, Ihechinyerem Kelechi, Ugwu, Angela Ogechukwu, Ejikeme, Toochukwu Benjamin, Ezenkwele, Eziamaka Pauline, Ezeigwe, Chijioke Ogomegbunam, Nwankwo, Malarchy Ekwunife, Udigwe, Gerald Okanandu, Ikechebelu, Joseph Ifeanyichukwu, Agbaeze, Grace, Nwanja, Chukwuebuka Divine, Eke, Ahizechukwu Chigoziem
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: 2023
Materias:
Article
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659584/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37986732
http://dx.doi.org/10.53388/idr2023004
Descripción
Sumario:BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic that has become a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting the physical and mental health of individuals influencing reproduction. Despite the threat, it poses to maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria, there is little or no data on the impact it has on fertility, conception, gestation and birth. To compare the birth rate between pre-COVID and COVID times using selected months of the year. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional analytical study data from the birth registries of three tertiary hospitals, comparing two years [2019 (Pre-COVID)] versus [2020 (COVID era)] using three months of the year (October to December). The data relied upon was obtained from birth registries in three busy maternity clinics all within tertiary hospitals in South-East Nigeria and we aimed at discussing the potential impacts of COVID-19 on fertility in Nigeria. The secondary outcome measures were; mode of delivery, booking status of the participants, maternal age and occupation. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in tertiary-hospital based birth rate by 92 births (P = 0.0009; 95% CI: −16.0519 to −4.1481) among mothers in all the three hospitals in 2020 during the COVID period (post lockdown months) of October to December. There was a significant difference in the mode of delivery for mothers (P = 0.0096) with a 95% confidence interval of 1.0664 to 1.5916, as more gave birth through vaginal delivery during the 2020 COVID-19 period than pre-COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Tertiary-hospital based birth rates were reduced during the pandemic. Our multi-centre study extrapolated on possible factors that may have played a role in this decline in their birth rate, which includes but is not limited to; decreased access to hospital care due to the total lockdowns/curfews and worsening inflation and economic recession in the country.

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