Trends in Pregnancy Rates in an Urban Adolescent Clinic Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

We examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes on reproductive health care delivery and pregnancy rates in an adolescent clinic. Through a retrospective data collection as part of quality improvement project, we compared the number of pregnancies, visit percentages for newly diagnosed pregnancies, and number/percentage of long acting reversible contraception (LARC) visits. The percentage of visits for newly diagnosed pregnancies during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April-June 2020) increased significantly relative to pre-pandemic percentages while the absolute number of new pregnancies only trended upward. Over the same timeframe, the total number of LARC visits decreased, although they consisted of a higher percentage of all in-person visits than pre-pandemic. After the first few months of the pandemic, these values returned to pre-pandemic levels. The substantial increase in the rate of new pregnancies during the first 3 to 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the importance of prioritizing access to reproductive health care services for adolescents and young adults.