Prevalence and outcomes of birth defects in newborns of South Wollo and Oromia zones of Amhara regional state: a retrospective study

Background: Congenital malformations (CMs) are structural and functional anomalies that have a significant but under-recognized cause of mortality and morbidity among infants and children under 5 years of age. CMs are not only life threatening, but also result in long-term disabilities that negatively affect individuals, families, health care systems and societies. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence and outcomes of birth defects in newborns of South Wollo and Oromia zones of Amhara regional state. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was done in three hospitals of South Wollo and Oromia zones, where 22,624 infants were born between January 2015 and December 2017. The presence and type of birth defects in the infants, as well as their outcomes, were identified by reviewing the medical records of their mothers. Medical records with incomplete information were excluded from the study. The data were collected using a pre-tested checklist for data collection. Results: A total of 22,624 infants were born during the study period. Three hundred and twenty-four (1.43%) newborns were delivered with birth defects. Anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS) were the most frequent type of birth defect (43.2%), followed by defects of the musculoskeletal system (19.7%), orofacial malformations (11.0%) and gastrointestinal system anomalies (6.1%). Most of the malformed infants were born from mothers with a history of alcohol intake (55.8%), lack of iron and folic acid supplementation (58.4%), family history of birth defects (58.7%) and history of diseases during pregnancy (53.5%). The outcomes of newborns with birth defects were significantly affected by the type of birth defect, gestational age, weight of the newborn and presence of twin pregnancy (p-value ≤0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of CNS anomalies was the highest, followed by musculoskeletal system anomalies. The type of birth defect, gestational age, weight of newborn and twin pregnancy significantly affected outcomes of the newborns with congenital anomalies. Therefore, in order to reduce the prevalence of CMs, the identification and management of risk factors should be the focus of stakeholders

Malformations congénitales visibles à la maternité des Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa

Introduction: L'importance des malformations congénitales dans la morbidité et la mortalité périnatales est telle que, cette pathologie constitue un problème de santé publique. Cette étude vise à établir la cartographie des malformations congénitales visibles à la Maternité des Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa.Méthodologie:Etude transversaledescriptive, réalisée à la Maternité des Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa a été conduitede Janvier 2009 à Décembre 2011, à partir de 1513 dossiers des accouchées. Nous avons analysé les paramètres concernant les nouveau-nés portant des malformations congénitales visibles ainsi que leurs mères. Résultats: 5,1% des nouveau-nésavaient desmalformations congénitales visibles. Les malformations congénitales visibles étaient plus rencontrées chez les nouveau-nés des mères d'âges extrêmes. Le sexe masculin est plus représenté (60,8%). L'hydrocéphalie (24,1%), suivie de l'imperforation anale (17,7%), l'Omphalocele (15,2%) et le Spina bifida (8,9%) sont les malformations les plus rencontrées dans cette série. Conclusion: Cette étude montre que les malformations congénitales visiblessont un fléau à la Maternité des Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa et pousse donc àmener d'autres études pour en rechercher les causes

Epidemiology of congenital abnormalities in West Africa: results of a descriptive study in teaching hospitals in Abidjan: Cote d'Ivoire

Background: Congenital abnormalities constitute one of the major causes of infant mortality; particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of congenital anomalies in Cote d'Ivoire. Materials and Methods: It was a multicentric study of three academic hospitals and the Heart Institute of Abidjan over 10 years. The epidemiologic Data concerned the Parturients; the annual frequency of congenital abnormalities. Distribution of the congenital abnormalities according to the organs; overall mortality and lethality of congenital abnormalities were evaluated. Results: Over 10 years; 1.632 newborns with 1.725 congenital anomalies were recorded. Frequency was 172.5 congenital anomalies per annum. Parturients were less than 35 years in 33% of cases; multigravida in 20%; multiparous in 18% and had a low socio economic status in 96% of cases. Prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies was performed in 1.5%. Congenital anomalies were orthopedic in 34%; neurological in 17%; gastrointestinal in 15%; facial in 11.5%; parietal in 13%; urogenital in 9% and cardiac in 0.5% of cases. The overall mortality rate of congenital anomalies was 52% and gastroschisis was the most lethal disease with 100% mortality. Conclusion: This descriptive study reveals the low socio economic status of Parturients with congenital anomalies and their poor prenatal diagnosis. These factors explain the very high mortality of congenital anomalies due to a delay management in our country in which medical expenses were borne by parents and where technical platforms remain obsoletes for good resuscitation and neonatal surgery

Descriptive Cases Sudy of Care; Surveillance and Prevention of Birth Defects in Rwandan Children

"""According to the World Health Statistics 2008; about 260 000 neonatal deaths worldwide are caused by Congenital anomalies. This fiure represents about 7 of all neonatal deaths"". In our study; birth accounted Defects for 14.9 out of 581 recruited infants with birth defects (87 cases). In this series; 52.9 were Female whereas 47.1 were male.13.8 were premature babies (=37weeks); 74.7 aged 5 months and 11.5 were infants aged between 5 and 12 months. Polymalformative conditions were the most common Cause of death identifid in 21 cases (24); gastrointestinal birth defects caused death in 15 cases (17); nervous system in 14 (16); Cardio-vascular birth defects in 10 cases (12); Chromosomal abnormalities In 10 cases (12); musculoskeletal defects in 10 cases (12); congenital mass in 2 cases (2); oral defects in 2 cases (2); congenital skin defect in 1 case(1); whereas congenital respiratory defect and genitourinary malformations in 1 case each (1).Over 50 patients died in referral hospitals and 77 died after 24 hours of life"