A community-based survey of visible congenital anomalies in rural Tamil Nadu
1Past President APSI, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Insights
A large survey found 1.30% of children in rural Tamil Nadu had visible congenital anomalies. Facial clefts, particularly cleft palate, were noted, with maternal medication use a potential factor.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Genetics
Background:
- Congenital anomalies represent a significant global health concern.
- Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for birth defects is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of visible congenital defects in a large pediatric population in rural Tamil Nadu.
- To identify potential associated factors, including family history, consanguinity, and maternal medication use during pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive community-based, door-to-door survey was conducted from 2004-2005.
- Data was collected from 12.8 million children aged 0-15 years by over 10,000 village health nurses.
- Diagnoses were confirmed by medical officers using standardized charts.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of visible congenital anomalies was 1.30%.
- Facial clefts occurred in 1 in 1976 live births, with cleft palate alone accounting for 30% of cases.
- Maternal medication use in the first trimester was reported by over 5% of mothers, with anti-convulsants at 3.4%.
Conclusions:
- Visible congenital defects have a notable prevalence in rural Tamil Nadu.
- The findings highlight the importance of monitoring birth defects and investigating risk factors like maternal drug exposure.
Abstract:
An extensive community-based survey of visible congenital defects covering 12.8 million children in rural Tamil Nadu state was conducted during the years 2004-05. A door-to-door survey was done utilizing the existing health care delivery system. More than 10,000 village health nurses were involved to collect the data. All children between the ages of 0 and 15 years were seen. The children with defects were seen by a medical officer and diagnosis was made as per chart. A total of 1.30% of children were born with some visible anomalies. The male:female ratio was 1.3:1. There was a family history in 9% and consanguinity in 32%. More than 5% mothers had taken some medication in the first trimester of pregnancy out of which anti-convulsants were 3.4%. Facial clefts showed a lower incidence of 1 in 1976 live births with peak incidence between March and June. Cleft palate alone showed a higher percentage (30%) than other studies.
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