Congenital malformations of the central nervous system at Al-Mansour pediatric teaching hospital, Baghdad, Iraq

To analyze the pattern of congenital malformations of the central nervous system seen in Al-Mansour Pediatric Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq between 2000 and 2002. Seventy patients from two groups were followed. The first consisted of newborn babies admitted to the neonatal care unit of our hospital which is attached to the obstetric department of Medical City Hospital; the second group included infants below six months of age referred to our hospital for evaluation of developmental delay. The patients were evaluated employing clinical and brain CT scan findings for diagnosis. Neural tube defect was the commonest anomaly of the CNS seen in newborn babies, while congenital hydrocephalus was most common in the group referred for evaluation later. Improvements in awareness of the need for proper diet during pregnancy and early referral of infants for definitive diagnosis and therapy are important goals in our region