Objective: To determine the prevalence and pattern of congenital anomalies in a Maternal and Child Health Center in Islamabad.
Methodology: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 2980 newborns and stillborn from Maternal and Child Health Center, Federal Government Polyclinic and was carried out from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. We observed 111 newborns/stillborn with congenital anomalies in the study. All data were analyzed by SPSS version 23.
Results: The prevalence of congenital anomalies was 3.72%. Among 111 babies with congenital anomalies, 63(56.8%) were male and 48 (43.2%) were female. The anomalies of central nervous system were most common seen in 54(48.6%), followed by cardiovascular system seen in 12(10.8%), gastrointestinal system in 11 (9.9%), genitourinary system in 11 (9.9%), musculoskeletal system in 9 (8.1%), syndromes in 7 (6.3%), hydrops fetalis in 4 (3.6%), respiratory system in 1 (0.9%), ear, nose and throat in 1 (0.9%) and eye in 1 (0.9%).
Conclusion: The prevalence and pattern of congenital anomalies is variable in different geographical areas due to multiple factors. In Pakistan, anomalies of the central nervous system (neural tube defects) are still most common emphasizing use of folic acid.
Key words: Congenital, anomalies, prevalence anencephaly, malformation.
|
