The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Prenatal Screening Modality for Singleton Pregnancies in Ontario.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic complicated access to timely prenatal screening. Using the Better Outcome Registry & Network database, screening practices were compared across Ontario for modality of screen and subdivided based on rurality for the first year of the pandemic. There is little difference between the proportion of screen modality across the province in the first year of the pandemic. However, using a rurality index there was a pattern of increased use of screening options that did not require ultrasound in rural areas compared to pre-pandemic, suggesting an ongoing equity issue for patients in rural Ontario around accessing timely prenatal screening.