Abstract summary 

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.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.There was a significant decrease in tertiary-hospital based birth rate by 92 births ( = 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 ( = 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.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.

Authors & Co-authors:  Oguejiofor Charlotte Blanche CB Ebubechukwu Kenechi Miracle KM Eleje George Uchenna GU Ugwu Emmanuel Onyebuchi EO Enebe Joseph Tochukwu JT Ekwuazi Kingsley Emeka KE Okoro Chukwuemeka Chukwubuikem CC Okpala Boniface Chukwuneme BC Okafor Charles Chukwunomunso CC Ezeora Nnanyelugo Chima NC Iloghalu Emeka Ifeanyi EI Anikwe Chidebe Christian CC Okafor Chigozie Geoffrey CG Agu Polycarp Uchenna PU Igbodike Emeka Philip EP Ake Iffiyeosuo Dennis ID Onwuegbuna Arinze Anthony AA Umeononihu Osita Samuel OS Anaedu Onyedika Promise OP Ikpeze Odigonma Zinobia OZ Ikwuka David Chibuike DC Nwaolisa Henry Ifeanyi HI Emeka Ekene Agatha EA Okoye Jude Ogechukwu JO Osuagwu Ihechinyerem Kelechi IK Ugwu Angela Ogechukwu AO Ejikeme Toochukwu Benjamin TB Ezenkwele Eziamaka Pauline EP Ezeigwe Chijioke Ogomegbunam CO Nwankwo Malarchy Ekwunife ME Udigwe Gerald Okanandu GO Ikechebelu Joseph Ifeanyichukwu JI Agbaeze Grace G Nwanja Chukwuebuka Divine CD Eke Ahizechukwu Chigoziem AC

Study Outcome 

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