ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and types of congenital anomalies and evaluate the efficiency of antenatal ultrasonography for detection of congenital anomalies METHODS: This was a retrospective study, undertaken on 157 cases with congenital anomalies among 5,554 delivered newborns at Chungnam National University Hospital from Jan. 1, 1998 to Dec. 31, 2002. For statistical evaluation, Chi-square test were used. RESULTS: Among the total 5,554 newborns, the overall incidence of congenital anomalies was 2.8%. The incidence of congenital anomalies in birth weights less than 2,500 gm was 9.2% which was 7.5 times higher than that of birth weights more than 2,500 gm. The incidence of congenital anomalies in stillbirth was 19.3% which was 8.2 times higher than that of the live birth. When classified according to the type of congenital anomalies, the incidence of congenital anomalies were 26.5%, 21.0%, 19.8%, 13.0%, 7.4%, 6.2%, 3.7%, and 2.5% respectively in urogenital system, central nervous system, digestive system, cardiopulmonary system, dermatologic system, musculoskeletal system, chromosomal anomaly syndrome, and fetal tumor. Among 157 cases of congenital anomaly babies, anomaly babies were detected antenatally by ultrasonographic examination in 122 cases, and then the rate of antenatal ultrasonographic detection was 77.7%. CONCLUSION: The overall incidence of congenital anomalies was 2.8%. The most common congenital anomalies were urogenital anomalies. The rate of antenatal ultrasonographic detection for congenital anomalies was 77.7%.