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[Postmortem examination of congenital developmental defects in children and their role in thanatogenesis]
Insights
Congenital malformations (CM) affect 22.5-29.2% of deceased children, primarily impacting the central nervous, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems. The incidence and impact of multiple CM remain stable, with most deaths occurring in infancy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric pathology
- Medical genetics
- Public health
Context:
- Analysis of 6173 autopsy records from deceased children (0-15 years) over 15 years.
- Focus on congenital malformations (CM) as a cause of mortality.
- Examination of trends in CM incidence and impact.
Purpose:
- To determine the incidence and patterns of congenital malformations in deceased children.
- To assess the contribution of CM to child mortality.
- To analyze trends in multiple congenital malformations (MCM).
Summary:
- Congenital malformations (CM) were present in 22.5-29.2% of deceased children.
- The central nervous, cardiovascular systems, and gastrointestinal tract were most frequently affected.
- Multiple CM (MCM) constituted 30.4% of malformations, with stable incidence trends.
- CM remained a major autopsy diagnosis in 77.5% of cases.
- Over 90% of deaths in children with CM occurred during the neonatal and perinatal periods.
Impact:
- Highlights the significant burden of congenital malformations on child mortality.
- Informs public health strategies for prevention and early intervention.
- Provides data for further research into the etiology and management of pediatric congenital anomalies.
Abstract:
The authors examined case records and autopsy protocols of 6173 dead children aged 0-15 years made in the regional pediatric dissecting room over the past 15 years. The incidence of congenital malformations (CM) in the dead children was found to range from 22.5 to 29.2%. The central nervous and cardiovascular systems, and gastrointestinal tract proved to be the most affected organs, some increase in the incidence of CM observed in the last years occurring by higher affliction rates of just these systems. As for the proportion of multiple CM (MCM) in the total number of malformations, it accounts for 30.4%. The trends in the incidence of MCM have not substantially changed among dead children over the past 15 years. The contribution of CM as a cause of death among children has also remained unchanged. In 77.5% of the cases, CM is regarded as the major abnormality in the autopsy diagnosis. Children with CM predominantly die in neonatal (up to 29.2%), perinatal (up to 16.2%) periods, and, in general, in infancy (greater than 90%).