Study of Possible Predisposing Factors that May Result in Congenital Abnormalities among Newborn Infants a Hospitalbased Study

Abstract

The term congenital abnormalities signifies that there has been disruption in the normal process of
organogenesis occurring before birth. The earlier the insult, the more gross the abnormality.
This study aimed to study some predisposing factors that may result in congenital abnormalities among
newborn infants in neonatal care unit (NCU) of Al-Kadhymia teaching hospital-Baghdad/Iraq. This
prospective study was carried out during the period from 1st February to 1st August 2011. A total of 2700
neonates were admitted to NCU, and (100) newborn infants were proven to have congenital abnormalities
by physical examination alone in the nursery care unit.
The results showed that of the total (100) affected neonates, 63 (63%) were full term as compared to only
37 (37%) preterm baby (<37 weeks gestation) with a significant difference (P <0.05). Of the total 2700
neonates, 1440 (53%) were females and the remining 1260 (47%) were males.
Out of the (100) neonates who were proven to have congenital anomalies, 55 (55%) were males and 45
(45%) females. The percentage of newborns with congenital abnormalities was 3.7% with respect to total
number of newborns (2700); 2.1% were males and 1.6% were females.
Our results showed that (55%) had neurological abnormalities followed by (12%) cleft lip and palate then
(11%) chromosomal abnormalities (most of them Down syndrome and only 3 cases had Edward syndrome
and 1 case had Patau syndrome). In this study, it was shown that the highest incidence of congenital
abnormalities (55) occurred between (20-30) years.
It can be concluded that most the affected newborns were full terms, with a slight male predominance.
Incidence of neurological abnormalities was higher than other types of congenital abnormalities, the highest
incidence of congenital abnormalities occurred between 20-30 years, and in multigravida mothers, and most
of parents were reported to be consanguineous or relatives.