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"

Epidemiology of external birth defects in neonates in South Western Nigeria

Background: There is paucity of information on the prevalence of birth defects in Nigeria, particularly in our setting. This study determined the epidemiology of external congenital anomalies in Southwest Nigerian children. Patients and Methods: This was a stratified, randomized study of neonates presenting with external birth defects in Ife-Ijesha in Southwestern Nigeria, from August 2003 to July 2004. The neonates were screened for obvious congenital malformations by thorough physical examination. Results: A total of 624 neonates were screened, 43 (6.9%) of whom had external birth defects (prevalence: 3.7 [+ or -] 0.8% SD). There was a slight male preponderance (M: F= 1.4: 0.9). The overall prevalence rates of external congenital and major anomalies in Ife-Ijesa are 6.9 and 3.7% respectively. A higher prevalence for major malformations, 6.3%, was also found within the minority ethnic groups in these communities compared to the native majority. Musculoskeletal abnormalities are the most common anomaly, followed by those of abnormal external genitalia and head defects. Conclusion: Major malformations are more common amongst the minority settlers in this study, and musculoskeletal abnormalities were the most prevalent