부산대학교 도서관

BackgroundPerinatal mortality remains a global challenge. This challenge may be worsened by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child health.ObjectivesExamine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal care and outcomes in the Tamale Teaching Hospital in northern Ghana.MethodsA hospital-based retrospective study was conducted in the Tamale Teaching Hospital. We compared antenatal care attendance, total deliveries, cesarean sections, and perinatal mortality before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2019 to February 28, 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021). Interrupted time series analyses was performed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal care and outcomes at TTH.ResultsA total number of 35,350 antenatal visits and 16,786 deliveries were registered at TTH from March 2019 to February 2021. Antenatal care, early neonatal death, and emergency cesarean section showed a rapid decline after the onset of the pandemic, with a progressive recovery over the following months. The total number of deliveries and fresh stillbirths showed a step change with a marked decrease during the pandemic, while the macerated stillbirths showed a pulse change, a temporary marked decrease with a quick recovery over time.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on perinatal care and outcomes in our facility. Pregnancy monitoring through antenatal care should be encouraged and continued even as countries tackle the pandemic.