Congenital anomalies among Omani births: a case control approach

ABSTRACT

A case control study was initiated in all the hospitals of three regions in Oman, namely North Batinah, South Batinah and Dakhiliya. All cases of congenital anomalies diagnosed at birth were notified to the Non-Communicable Disease Control Section, Directorate General of Health Affairs, through the period from March to end of September 1993. Out of the 15014 births, 178 had congenital anomalies, giving a rate of 11.86 per 1000. The rate was 3.2 per 1000 births for musculoskeletal deformities, 2.00 for congenital heart disease, 1.73 for genital organs, 1.27 for chromosomal anomalies, 1.07 for cleft lip and cleft palate and 0.93 per 1000 births for nervous system malformations. Births whose parents are consanguineous, those with mother's age below 25 years and 30 years and above, those with birth order 8 and more and premature babies were found to be at an increased risk of having congenital anomalies at birth. Studying the epidemiological variables related to congenital anomalies simultaneously in a logistic regression model, revealed that only adjusted risk associated with consanguinity was significantly increased compared to the relevant reference category