Impact of 2 years of COVID-19 pandemic on preterm birth: Experience from a tertiary center of obstetrics in western Germany.

Objective: To compare preterm birth rates and reasons before and during the COVID-19-pandemic using a monocentric, retrospective study.

Methods: Univariate analysis identified differences in rates and reasons for preterm birth and neonatal outcomes between the pre-pandemic period (January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019) and during the pandemic (January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021) among all births at our tertiary obstetrical center, the University Hospital of Essen.

Results: The cohort consisted of 6086 deliveries with 593 liveborn preterm singletons.