The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic exposed multiple shortcomings in national and international capacity to respond to an outbreak of infectious disease. It is essential to learn from these deficiencies to prepare for future epidemics. One major gap is the limited availability of timely and comprehensive population-based routine data on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and babies. As part of the Horizon 2020 Population Health Information Research Infrastructure (PHIRI) project on the use of population data for COVID-19 surveillance, the Euro-Peristat Research Network investigated the extent to which routine information systems could be used to assess the effects of the pandemic by constructing indicators of maternal and child health and COVID-19 infection. The Euro-Peristat network brings together researchers and statisticians from 31 countries to monitor population indicators of perinatal health in Europe, and periodically compiles data on a set of ten core and 20 recommended indicators.