Stillbirths During the COVID-19 Pandemic in England, April-June 2020

Abstract

Pregnant women have an increased risk of infectious diseases, including respiratory infections such as influenza,¹ and are included on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) UK clinically vulnerable list.² Little is known about the risk of COVID-19 to unborn children, with data limited to a case series of 3 stillbirth deliveries in pregnant women with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection³ and a single London hospital reporting a higher rate of stillbirth deliveries during the pandemic period compared with a prepandemic period.⁴ To provide more robust data, we used national and regional hospitalization data in England to assess the risk of stillbirths during the COVID-19 pandemic.