Impacts of COVID-19 on Perinatal Mortality in Hungary

Objectives The first 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak occurred in Hungary on 4 March 2020. This severe respiratory illness is characterised by high fever, cough, breathing difficulties, muscle pain, diarrhoea, and vomiting. It poses serious risks to pregnant women and their fetuses. Fetal losses increased in several countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causing the greatest increases in miscarriages. This study was conducted to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnancy outcomes in Hungary. Material and Methods Data on abortions, stillbirths, and early and mid-term pregnancy losses in Hungary during the period of 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2021 were analysed retrospectively. Data are presented as numbers with percentages and rates per 1,000 births. Poisson values for the incidence rates were calculated. Incidence estimates are provided with 95% confidence intervals. Event rates were compared between time points using proportions and chi-squared tests. Results Stillbirth and spontaneous and voluntary abortion rates in Hungary showed decreasing trends during all four COVID-19 waves examined, but these differences were not significant. Conclusion A decline in fetal mortality in Hungary was observed during the study period, and COVID-19 did not significantly affect this trend.