Socioeconomic disparities in changes to preterm birth and stillbirth rates during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a study of 21 European countries.

Background: Despite concerns about worsening pregnancy outcomes resulting from healthcare restrictions, economic difficulties and increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, preterm birth (PTB) rates declined in some countries in 2020, while stillbirth rates appeared stable. Like other shocks, the pandemic may have exacerbated existing socioeconomic disparities in pregnancy, but this remains to be established. Our objective was to investigate changes in PTB and stillbirth by socioeconomic status (SES) in European countries.

The Outcome of Laparoscopic Versus Open Appendectomy in Childhood.

Background: Appendectomy in children is performed either lapa - roscopically (LA) or by open surgery (OA). We studied whether, and how, the outcome is affected by the technique used and by the intraoperative conversion of LA to OA.

Methods: We analyzed routine data from children and adolescents in three age groups (1-5 years, 6-12 years, and 13-17 years) who were insured by the AOK statutory health insurance carrier in Germany and who underwent appendectomy in the period 2017-2019.

Trends in caesarean section rates in Europe from 2015 to 2019 using Robson's Ten Group Classification System: A Euro-Peristat study.

Objective: To assess changes in caesarean section (CS) rates in Europe from 2015 to 2019 and utilise the Robson Ten Group Classification System (TGCS) to evaluate the contribution of different obstetric populations to overall CS rates and trends.

Design: Observational study utilising routine birth registry data.

Setting: A total of 28 European countries.

Introduction of quality indicators in German hospital capacity planning - Do results show an improvement in quality?

In Germany, the use of quality data to support hospital capacity planning was introduced in 2017. On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee, IQTIG suggested 11 quality indicators and developed a program on how to collect, evaluate and report data for the clinical areas gynaecological surgery, obstetrics and breast surgery. By analysing data from 2015 to 2021, effects of the introduction of the program on indicator results, statistical discrepancies and impact on care quality are examined.

Disease severity of the first COVID-19 wave in Germany using reporting data from the national notification system.

As of December 31, 2019, initial reports circulated internationally of an unusual cluster of pneumonia of unknown cause in China. By the end of January 2020, the virus affected Germany with the first case confirmed on January 27, 2020. Intensive contact tracing and infection control measures contained the first two clusters in the country.

A validation study revealed differences in design and performance of search filters for qualitative research in PsycINFO and CINAHL.

Objectives: Search filters can support qualitative evidence of information retrieval. Various search filters are available for the bibliographic databases PsycINFO and CINAHL. To date, no comparative overview of validation results of search filters verified with an independent gold standard exists.

A validation study revealed differences in design and performance of MEDLINE search filters for qualitative research.

Objectives: Several search filters exist to identify qualitative research, but so far none of them has been validated with an independent set of relevant references irrespective of a medical topic. The objective of this study was to provide a comparative overview of validation results for various MEDLINE search filters.

Study Design And Setting: Search filters were tested for plausibility.

Decision-to-Delivery Time and Perinatal Complications in Emergency Cesarean Section.

Background: A decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) of no more than 20 minutes has long been considered a requirement for cesarean sections, even though there have hardly been any studies on this topic. We retrospectively investigated data relevant to DDI for emergency cesarean sections performed for the most common indications, namely, suspected and documented fetal asphyxia.

Methods: We analyzed data on emergency in-hospital cesarean sections in the period 2008-2015.