New Zealand Registry of Covid-19 in Pregnancy

How many women in New Zealand are affected by COVID-19 and how does this affect them and their babies? This registry is for all New Zealand women who are at any stage of pregnancy or have been pregnant in the last 6 weeks, with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

The registry is now closed to new notifications for cases since 1 February 2022

A decision was made to conclude individual notifications from 1 February 2022 reflecting the start of increased cases in the community, predominantly the Omicron variant.

To notify a case of COVID-19 in pregnancy prior to 1 February 2022 please email covid19@auckland.ac.nz for an individual survey link.

We wish to thank the women, whānau and health professionals who have generously contributed to the registry. We are committed to using the information collected to date to answer questions about COVID-19 in pregnancy in Aotearoa New Zealand and whether hapū wāhine Māori are impacted differently to other pregnant women.

Why is this Registry important?

COVID-19 increases risks for pregnant women and their babies. A COVID-19 in Pregnancy New Zealand Registry is needed so we have an understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy in our own country and whether hapū wāhine Māori are impacted differently to other pregnant women.

The Registry will provide information on:

  • How many cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy we have in New Zealand?
  • What is the vaccination status of women with COVID-19 in pregnancy?
  • What are the effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy outcomes? Are there differences in outcomes depending on the stage of the pregnancy when the mother infected? What are the risks that a mother will pass COVID-19 to her baby?
  • How many cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy have there been in wāhine Māori and other ethnicities? Are any of the risks and outcomes different for different ethnicities?
  • How does New Zealand’s management of COVID-19 in pregnancy differ from other countries and does this affect outcomes?

Who are we?

The Registry investigator group includes representatives from the wider maternity and paediatric community and consumers. It has been developed in consultation with members/representatives of Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku He Hono Wāhine, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, New Zealand College of Midwives and Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

Who is included?

All New Zealand women who have had COVID-19 while they are pregnant or within 6 weeks of the end of pregnancy.

What does the Registry involve?

Lead Maternity Carers, including midwives and obstetricians, hospital clinical staff, and general practitioners are asked to notify the Registry of any cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy, using the online form at the top of this page.

If you have had COVID-19 in pregnancy, and are unsure whether your caregiver has notified us, you can notify us yourself at any time. We will then follow up with your nominated LMC or doctor to collect the Registry data.

The Registry takes privacy very seriously, and personal details of women and their babies will remain confidential. Information is stored securely by the researchers at The University of Auckland and only a very small number of people will be able to access this. Each individual is assigned a registry code so that personal information and registry data can be stored separately. Any publications or reports present grouped data and will not personally identify any individual.

How can I find out more?

To contact the registry team email covid19@auckland.ac.nz or contact our research midwife on 021 0831 4824.