Congenital anomalies in liveborn Saudi infants

The medical records of a total of 58,207 liveborn Saudi infants born in the three major hospitals in the Eastern Province were analysed for having congenital malformation at birth, over a period of five years. Abnormalities were detected in 579 infants, representing an overall incidence of 8.5 per 100 live births. Major anomalies were observed at birth in 448 newborns [6.6 per 1000]; 32.2% of these required surgical correction in the immediate postnatal period. Pattern of anomalies and their significance are presented and discussed