Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Preterm Labor Prevalence in Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Due to the adaptive anatomical and physiological changes in the respiratory system that occur during pregnancy, pregnant women are more susceptible to respiratory pathogens. These viral infections can also lead to complications during pregnancy. COVID-19 was a viral infection that spread across the world in a two-year pandemic and caused numerous adverse effects. The present study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on preterm labor in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in 2023. All mothers who had a preterm live birth between April 2018 and March 2022 in Isfahan were included in the study. Sampling was conducted by census, and data were collected using a checklist. Findings: The results showed a 13.90 change in the number of live births, indicating a 14 drop in the number of births during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Additionally, the percentage change in the number of preterm live births was 5.84, meaning that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an approximate 6 increase in preterm live births compared to the pre-pandemic period. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that compared to the same period before the outbreak, there was an increase in preterm live births in Isfahan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies conducted in China, Boston, and San Francisco, USA, as well as numerous systematic reviews, have reached similar conclusions, confirming an increase in preterm deliveries during the COVID-19 outbreak. © 2026 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.