COVID-19 infection, fracking show effect on birth outcomes

Recent studies published by the JAMA Network shed light on risk factors for adverse birth outcomes. A multinational cohort study of 2,130 pregnant women in 18 countries found both mothers and newborns were at increased risk of sickness and death when the mother had a COVID-19 diagnosis during pregnancy. Newborns of these women had a significantly higher severe neonatal and perinatal morbidity index. A population-based cohort study of 26,193 pregnant individuals in rural Alberta, Canada, from 2013 to 2018 found a link between living near hydraulic fracturing sites and adverse birth outcomes. These included small gestational age, major congenital anomalies and risk of spontaneous preterm birth. (JAMA Pediatrics article, 4/4/22)