Skip to Navigation
Skip to Content
Research
Discovery
Development
Site Search
Search
08 6458 1437
WIRF is one of Australia's leading organisations that is dedicated to improving the health of women and infants.
Home
About Us
Our Vision
Achievements and Timeline
Corporate Publications
Major Stakeholders
Our Ambassadors
History
Our People
WIRF Committees
Careers
Our Patron
Channel 7 Telethon Trust
Our Research
Major Initiatives
Research Themes
Our Research Approach
Ethics
Our Laboratories
Research Acceleration Awards
Case Studies
News & Events
Latest News
Events
WIRF in the Media
Impact Stories
Campaigns
Support WIRF
Partnership Opportunities
Volunteers Program
Supporters & Donors
Friends of WIRF
Community Based Fundraising
WIRF Café/Gift Shop
Baby Bundles & Care Packages
Leaving a Bequest to WIRF
WIRF Op Shop
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Our Vision
Achievements and Timeline
Corporate Publications
Annual Reports
Financial Reports
WIRF Newsletters
Whole Nine Months Magazines
Major Stakeholders
Our Ambassadors
History
Our People
WIRF Committees
Careers
Our Patron
Channel 7 Telethon Trust
Our Research
Major Initiatives
Research Themes
Prevention of Preterm Birth
Cancers of Women
Pregnancy Care
Newborn Care
Early Life Origins of Health and Disease
Help Shape Our Research
Our Research Approach
Ethics
Our Laboratories
Research Acceleration Awards
Case Studies
Artificial womb EVE Therapy
Preventing preterm birth
The Raine Study
Research partnership opportunities
Linking bacterial signatures and preterm birth
News & Events
Latest News
Inaugural ambassadors announced
WIRF Government House Event
Laura channels triplets’ strength for HBF 2018
Babies lost too soon inspire PLS network
Spotlight on Ovarian Cancer Research
Holly and Nika's story
Vera champions preterm birth prevention
Charlies’ angels boost the outlook for WA newborns
Aiming Low: Optimising steroid use in pregnancy
Perth parents channel Leo and Cruz’s strength
WIRF and Linneys unite for Spring Gala 2018
WIRF and PFI unite for WA’s mothers and babies
Sarra shares her story of joy and loss
New funding enables Stan Perron Fellowship
Lotterywest grant enables new era for WIRF
Study investigates impacts of late preterm birth
WIRF Ambassadors remember their preterm journey
Festival of Lilly celebrates premmie powerhouse
Magnificent 7: Artificial womb achieves top rating
WA unites to remember Attilia Tomasi
Alastair puts his legs on the line for premmies
Artificial womb breaks its 4 minute mile
Eliminating cervical cancer for all WA women
2019 National Volunteers Week Event
WIRF gives rise to national Alliance
Prof Newnham wins top AMA award
WIRF Gala Q&A with Alan Linney
Steroid study reveals breakthrough finding
Aboriginal artwork unveiled
Turning the Phage
Midwives Rottnest 2020 Swim Appeal
Prof Newnham wins in the 2020 AOTY Awards
Multiple pregnancies and preterm birth
A message for pregnant women & their families
Little Angels 2020 Cocktail Party
Emotional health, mental health and pregnancy
Managing mental health and wellbeing: COVID-19
Artificial womb rewrites its own record books
Ensuring the safe use of steroids in pregnancy
Journal boon for Preterm Birth Initiative
Catalanos reflect on their miracle Lenny
Ali puts his legs on the line for prems
Emotional health and pregnancy
Husseys go into bat for prem babies
Q & A with Alan Linney
Joining our community one message at a time
Solving preterm birth with bacterial signatures
Lockdowns leading to fewer preterm births
Steves WIRF fundraiser
COVID-19 and pregnancy
Attilia and Marco Tomasi Matching Program
Attilia & Marco Tomasi Gift Matching Program
Memory Box donation helps Little Doves to soar
New resource in the fight against FGM
Get rewarded for your loyalty to WIRF
Diana's IVF happy ending
WIRF Cafe launches new Point of Sale System
A mother's message
A message from our Chief Executive
Bullo River Gala Prize
Q & A with Brad Brashaw
Optimising steroid use in pregnancy
Major boost for premmie research
Aaliyah Weyell's Birthday Appeal
Sweet Melodies holds Navrang Hindu Festival
Reducing rates of Aboriginal preterm birth
GLU test expands to benefit Aboriginal mothers
Spotlight on...Erin Fee
Federal funding boosts national preterm program
Aaliyah’s Appeal celebrates premmie powerhouse
Aurie's 1st Birthday Appeal
Amy Hussey reflects on her preterm birth journey
Lotterywest provides critical COVID-19 support
The Whole Nine Months Magazine
Sarah's preterm birth story
Cervix scan changes Catherine’s pregnancy
Study optimises steroid use in pregnancy
The pre-pregnancy checklist
Research Spotlight: Lyfe Languages
Perinatology trailblazer named A/Chief Scientist
Erin celebrates her first Mother’s Day
Baby Bundles boost in time for Mother's Day
Alison creates her work of heART with WIRF
Research Acceleration Awards unveiled
Funding to accelerate WA medical research
Research stars shine bright at Stars Symposium
Stephanie and Isla's rollercoaster pregnancy
NHMRC grant to bolster Artificial Placenta Project
Every Week Counts Magazine
Frances Tolman's Cancer Research Fund-razor
WIRF's 2024 Research Acceleration Awards
Research stars shine bright at 2024 Symposium
Events
Spring Gala 2018 - Banquet for Babies
WIRF Spring Gala Event Summary
The Little Angels Gala Ball
Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Symposium
WIRF 2019 Spring Gala Highlights
WIRF 2020 Spring Gala
Together We Can
Fundraising Guidelines
Fundraising proposal
World Prematurity Day 2021
Stars 2024
WIRF in the Media
Impact Stories
Campaigns
Support WIRF
Partnership Opportunities
Volunteers Program
Supporters & Donors
Friends of WIRF
Community Based Fundraising
WIRF Café/Gift Shop
Baby Bundles & Care Packages
Leaving a Bequest to WIRF
WIRF Op Shop
Contact Us
donate
Lockdowns leading to fewer preterm births
Home
News & Events
Latest News
Lockdowns leading to fewer preterm births
The link between the imposed Coronavirus lockdowns and rates of early preterm birth will be the focus of a pioneering new Australia-wide study.
Led by the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance, the study will provide a comprehensive Australian context to reports out of Denmark, Ireland, the US and Canada of fewer preterm babies being born through the pandemic.
In Denmark, a whole of nation study between March 12 and April 14 reported a 90% reduction in birth below 28 weeks gestation when compared with the previous five years. In Ireland, an unprecedented reduction in very low birthweight deliveries was observed in one region, amounting to a 73% decrease.
A similar reduction has been reported in the general media in Calgary, Canada. None of these reports has yet been published in peer reviewed journals.
Study lead and Deputy Chair of the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance, Professor Jonathan Morris said the anecdotal downward trends represent an unexpected but welcome side-effect of the pandemic.
“Our study will investigate if the rate of early preterm birth in the various regions of Australia has been reduced during the lockdown,” he said.
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the North Shore Private Hospital, Prof Morris said particular attention would be paid to the different gestational ages in the preterm period, whether the pregnancies were single or multiple, and whether the rate of stillbirth had changed.
“The results of the Australia-wide experience are required urgently, as lockdowns remain in some areas and may be re-commenced in others. The resurgence we are seeing in Victoria and warning signs in New South Wales makes this work all the more time critical.”
Chair of the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance and 2020 Senior Australian of the Year, Professor John Newnham AM said there were many potential explanations for the drop in premature births.
“Possible factors protecting a pregnancy from early preterm birth by lockdown tend to involve the consequences of women staying at home, including the increase in physical rest, reduced exposure to infectious diseases and reduced exposure to air pollution,” Prof Newham said.
“An increased risk of stillbirth from women not accessing health care services is also something which needs to be looked at.”
The Alliance Study will provide an array of different scenarios enabling investigation of the effects of lockdown in various settings, mixed with the potential influences of drought, fire, Covid-19 infection and lockdown.
It is hoped the results for each state and territory, and Australia as a whole, will be available by the end of 2020.
The Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance was formed in 2018 with the single goal of safely lowering the rate of preterm birth in Australia. There is representation from each of Australia’s six states and two territories, together with all the relevant disciplines and fields of health care.
For more information visit
The Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance website.