Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on institutional delivery, neonatal admissions and prematurity: a reflection from Lagos, Nigeria

• Published in: BMJ paediatrics open Vol. 5; no. 1; p. e001029
• Main Authors: Ezenwa, Beatrice Nkolika, Fajolu, Iretiola B, Nabwera, Helen, Wang, Duolao, Ezeaka, Chinyere V, Allen, Stephen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 26-04-2021; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Birth weight; Communicable Disease Control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Epidemiology; Ethics; Gestational age; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Newborn babies; Nigeria; Original Research Letter; Pandemics; Pediatrics; Premature birth; SARS-CoV-2; Shelter in place; Teaching hospitals; Womens health; Nigeria; Ireland; Nepal; India; COVID-19; epidemiology; neonatology
• ISSN: 2399-9772; 2399-9772
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001029

We assessed the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on deliveries and neonatal admissions according to gestation in Lagos, Nigeria. During lockdown (April–June 2020), there was a marked fall of about 50% in in-hospital deliveries and admissions to the neonatal wards for both in and outborn infants compared with prelockdown (January–March 2020) and a comparison period (April–June 2019). However, the proportion of preterm infants was broadly similar in each period. Lockdown markedly reduced hospital deliveries and healthcare-seeking for sick newborns but did not influence the overall proportion of preterm births among in-house deliveries and outborn neonatal admissions.