Germany Neonatal and Prenatal Devices Market Size

Germany Neonatal & Prenatal Devices Market Analysis

The German neonatal and prenatal devices market is expected to register a CAGR of nearly 7.1% during the forecast period.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the neonatal and prenatal devices market. For instance, according to the study published in the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology in December 2021, the overall maternal mental health, newborn perceptions, and early caregiving during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic did not alter significantly from pre-pandemic perspectives. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 cases, lockdowns and fear of contamination were the leading causes of delayed health-seeking, resulting in problematic pregnancies. COVID-19 infection during pregnancy raises the risk of pregnancy complications such as preterm birth, early rupture of the membranes, and, in rare cases, maternal mortality. As a result, the market was significantly impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, since the restrictions were lifted, the industry has been recovering well. Over the last two years, the market recovery has been led by the rise and the risk of pregnancy complications and new product launches by market players.

The market's growth factors include an increasing number of preterm and low-weight births, growing technological advancement in infant and maternal care products, and rising congenital and pregnancy complications due to a sedentary lifestyle. Preterm babies often require special care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) which created a demand for neonatal devices. According to the Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) 2022, there were 3,420 stillborn children in Germany in 2021 which equates to 4.3 stillbirths for every 1,000 births. Also, according to the federal statistical office (destatis), the rate had been trending slightly upward since 2010, after reaching an all-time low of 3.5 stillbirths per 1,000 births in 2007. In both 2020 and 2019, 4.1 children out of 1,000 births were stillborn. The growing incidence of stillbirths in the country is expected to increase the demand for neonatal and prenatal devices, thereby boosting market growth.

Besides, various strategies adopted by the market players are also contributing to the market growth. For instance, in November 2020, Natus Medical acquired the neonatal healthcare equipment company Baby. Additionally, in May 2020, Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA launched Evita V600 and V800, and Babylog VN600 and VN800 to facilitate the intensive care ventilation of adults to premature babies, with an operating concept designed to enable flexible orientation and to provide clearer user guidance.

While the market is expected to experience a boost, the rising cost of neonatal care is one of the major factors hindering the Germany neonatal and prenatal devices market growth.