[Congenital malformations in a series of 66,068 consecutive births]

Registration of congenital malformations began in 1979 in the French department of Bas-Rhin. 99.97% of all births were screened. We studied 66,068 consecutive births between 1979 and 1983. Malformations were present in 1.6% of neonates. The incidence of major malformations was 2.01%. The most frequent malformations consisted of congenital heart defects 33.9%). The incidence of the various congenital malformations was studied. Improvement of registration of congenital malformations was the consequence of postnatal and prenatal use of ultrasonography. An increase in the incidence of malformed neonates and fetuses was registered (1.31% in 1980; 2.13% in 1983). The number of termination of pregnancy because of the prenatal discovery of a major malformation has been increasing.