Birth Defects among Newborns in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Pediatrics
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Birth defects, or congenital anomalies, affect 2-3% of newborns globally, with increasing incidence.
• Congenital anomalies contribute to an estimated 303,000 neonatal deaths annually worldwide.
• Understanding local prevalence is crucial for targeted interventions and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of birth defects among newborns admitted to a tertiary care center.
• To identify the most common types of congenital malformations in the studied population.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted over three years (June 2016 - June 2019).
• Data were collected from hospital records of newborns in the Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics departments.
• A point estimate and 99% Confidence Interval were calculated for the prevalence of birth defects.

Main Results:

• A total of 32,695 newborns were included in the study.
• The prevalence of birth defects was found to be 0.51% (99% CI: 0.41-0.61).
• Musculoskeletal defects (35.50%) and central nervous system defects (17.75%) were the most frequent congenital malformations.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of birth defects in this tertiary care setting was lower compared to other similar studies.
• Findings highlight the importance of continued surveillance and reporting of congenital anomalies.