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[Major birth defects in a third-level hospital in Cali, Colombia, 2004-2008]
Harry Pachajoa1, Yoseth Ariza, Carolina Isaza
1Departamento de Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia. hmpachajoa@icesi.edu.co
Insights
The prevalence of infant birth defects in Cali, Colombia was 2.22 per 10,000 births. Certain defects, potentially linked to environmental factors, showed higher prevalence than previously reported.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Birth defects pose a significant global health challenge.
- Understanding regional prevalence and associated factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Colombia faces unique demographic and environmental influences on congenital anomalies.
Purpose:
- To determine the prevalence of infant birth defects in Cali, Colombia.
- To identify sociodemographic factors associated with birth defect occurrence.
- To compare local prevalence rates with existing literature.
Summary:
- A study analyzed 32,995 births from March 2004 to October 2008 at Valle Teaching Hospital.
- The overall prevalence of birth defects was 2.22 per 10,000 births.
- Specific defects like polydactyly, clubfoot, hydrocephalus, and neural tube defects were most common.
Impact:
- Identified higher prevalence of certain environmentally linked birth defects (e.g., hydrocephalus, gastroschisis) compared to global data.
- Findings suggest potential environmental influences requiring further investigation.
- Provides baseline data for public health strategies in Cali and similar regions.
Objective:
Determining the prevalence of infant birth defects and describing sociodemographic factors associated with the occurrence of these diseases in a tertiary hospital in the city of Cali in Colombia.
Methodology:
Data from the Valle Teaching Hospital's surveillance system was analysed, covering March 2004 to October 2008. The methodology proposed by the Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations in Latin-America (ECLAMC) was followed for determining birth defect occurrence. Tables and graphs were constructed for describing the characteristics of the new-born, their parents and the resulting pregnancies.
Results:
There were 32,995 births during the study period (4 years and 7 months); there was at least one birth defect in 735 of them, giving a 2.22 per 10,000 births prevalence. The major birth defects having the highest prevalence were polydactyly (22.1 per 10,000 births), clubfoot (17.6), hydrocephalus (16.4), neural tube defects (16.7), limb reduction defects (8.2), cleft lip or cleft palate (10.9), heart defects (14.6), hydronephrosis (11.5), gastroschisis (7.3), cyclopia (2.4) and sirenomelia (1.2),
Discussion:
The prevalence of birth defects related to environmental factors such as hydrocephalus, limb reduction defects, clubfoot, hydronephrosis, gastroschisis, cyclopia and sirenomelia showed higher prevalence compared to those reported in the pertinent literature. Some hypotheses which could explain such increase are reported.
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