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Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on births and induced abortions in Southern Sweden : A register-based study

Thacher, Jesse D. LU ; Vilhelmsson, Andreas LU orcid ; Blomberg, Annelise J. LU orcid ; Rylander, Lars LU orcid ; Jöud, Anna LU orcid ; Schmidt, Lone ; Hougaard, Charlotte Ørsted ; Elmerstig, Eva ; Vassard, Ditte and Mattsson, Kristina LU (2024) In BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health p.1-9
Abstract

Background: Pandemics are linked with declining birth rates, but little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced childbearing decisions. We aimed to investigate the associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and reproductive decisions, specifically to identify potential changes in the frequency of deliveries and induced abortions in Skåne, Sweden. Methods: Using the Skåne Healthcare Register, we identified women aged 15-45 years who had at least one pregnancy-related care visit registered between 1 January 2013 and 11 November 11 2021. Deliveries and induced abortions were identified, and changes in weekly delivery and abortion counts were assessed using an interrupted time series design. Relative risks (RRs) and 95%... (More)

Background: Pandemics are linked with declining birth rates, but little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced childbearing decisions. We aimed to investigate the associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and reproductive decisions, specifically to identify potential changes in the frequency of deliveries and induced abortions in Skåne, Sweden. Methods: Using the Skåne Healthcare Register, we identified women aged 15-45 years who had at least one pregnancy-related care visit registered between 1 January 2013 and 11 November 11 2021. Deliveries and induced abortions were identified, and changes in weekly delivery and abortion counts were assessed using an interrupted time series design. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated from a Poisson regression model. Results: During the study period we identified 129 131 deliveries and 38 591 abortions. Compared with the counterfactual (exposed interval assuming COVID-19 had not occurred), pandemic exposure was associated with fewer deliveries (RR 0.93; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98). For abortions, pandemic exposure appeared to be associated with fewer abortions (RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.00); however, age-related differences were found. Among women aged 25 years and over, pandemic exposure was more strongly associated with fewer abortions. Contrastingly, among women aged under 25 years, abortions appeared to increase. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have contributed to a decline in births in Southern Sweden. During the same period, abortions declined in women in the older age range, but contrastingly increased among younger women.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
abortion, induced, COVID-19, epidemiology, Reproductive Behavior
in
BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health
pages
1 - 9
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85195867369
  • pmid:38834283
ISSN
2515-1991
DOI
10.1136/bmjsrh-2023-202162
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.
id
75a962ca-b4f1-4995-8bfa-ce1af240d0c9
date added to LUP
2024-06-26 18:24:30
date last changed
2024-06-28 03:03:29
@article{75a962ca-b4f1-4995-8bfa-ce1af240d0c9,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Pandemics are linked with declining birth rates, but little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced childbearing decisions. We aimed to investigate the associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and reproductive decisions, specifically to identify potential changes in the frequency of deliveries and induced abortions in Skåne, Sweden. Methods: Using the Skåne Healthcare Register, we identified women aged 15-45 years who had at least one pregnancy-related care visit registered between 1 January 2013 and 11 November 11 2021. Deliveries and induced abortions were identified, and changes in weekly delivery and abortion counts were assessed using an interrupted time series design. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated from a Poisson regression model. Results: During the study period we identified 129 131 deliveries and 38 591 abortions. Compared with the counterfactual (exposed interval assuming COVID-19 had not occurred), pandemic exposure was associated with fewer deliveries (RR 0.93; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98). For abortions, pandemic exposure appeared to be associated with fewer abortions (RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.00); however, age-related differences were found. Among women aged 25 years and over, pandemic exposure was more strongly associated with fewer abortions. Contrastingly, among women aged under 25 years, abortions appeared to increase. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have contributed to a decline in births in Southern Sweden. During the same period, abortions declined in women in the older age range, but contrastingly increased among younger women.</p>}},
  author       = {{Thacher, Jesse D. and Vilhelmsson, Andreas and Blomberg, Annelise J. and Rylander, Lars and Jöud, Anna and Schmidt, Lone and Hougaard, Charlotte Ørsted and Elmerstig, Eva and Vassard, Ditte and Mattsson, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{2515-1991}},
  keywords     = {{abortion, induced; COVID-19; epidemiology; Reproductive Behavior}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--9}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health}},
  title        = {{Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on births and induced abortions in Southern Sweden : A register-based study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsrh-2023-202162}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/bmjsrh-2023-202162}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}