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In the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant individuals in Ontario and across Canada had higher rates of hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission relative to non-pregnant individuals of similar age. A higher rate of preterm birth was also observed among infected vs. non-infected pregnant individuals. However, in this third wave in which infection rates among younger people are higher and the variants of concern are predominant in many regions, care providers in conjunction with the media have reported worsening consequences for pregnant individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

At BORN, we examined data from all pregnant individuals carrying one fetus (as opposed to twins or triplets etc.) who gave birth in a hospital between fiscal year 2012/13 and 2017/18 for self-reported use of cannabis in pregnancy.

Are you pregnant and wondering about the risks and benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine?

BORN will be introducing enhancements to the Maternal Newborn Dashboard on January 27^th 2021:

• The provincial Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) and the Maternal Newborn Dashboard (MND) Committees recommended that BORN’s MND KPI 3 be aligned with the BFI supplementation reports in the BORN Information System (BIS).

"Collecting information about COVID-19 infection during pregnancy from Ontario hospitals and midwifery practice groups is extremely important for understanding what is happening with our own population here in Ontario, but the information is also contributing to the national picture through CANCOVID-Preg.

~Dr. Deshayne Fell, an expert in influenza disease and immunization during pregnancy

The Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH) continually reviews evidence on the impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy. To supplement information in the PCMCH COVID-19 General Guideline and COVID19 Pregnancy Care Guideline, an update has been released which includes information on the COVID-19 vaccination.