Tanja Katrin Rausch

Aim We aimed to determine stillbirth, preterm birth, perinatal complications, and the developmental outcome of children born preterm during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Germany. Methods National data from the perinatal survey of preterm and term infants born in 2017–2020 between 22 March and 31 December were evaluated. Neurodevelopment of preterm infants at 2 years corrected age was tested with the Parent Report of Children's Abilities‐Revised questionnaire and by clinical testing with Bayley scales, either before or during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Statistical significance was calculated using a Pearson's chi‐square‐independence test and a linear regression model. Results In 2020, there was an increase of stillbirths of 0.02% ( p = 0.01) and a decrease in preterm births by 0.38% ( p < 0.001). No changes were found in a representative subgroup of infants with regard to neurodevelopmental scores (mental developmental index and psychomotor developmental index) or in parent survey data (non‐verbal cognition scale and language development scale). Conclusion Increasing rates of stillbirths and decreasing preterm births in Germany were observed. Existing networks might stabilise neurodevelopment of preterm infants during the COVID‐19 pandemic.