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Congenital malformations in newborns in a teaching hospital in eastern Saudi Arabia
F. Al-Jama
Abstract
A review of 14762 singleton live-born babies during a period of 6 years at the King Fahad Hospital, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia is made with a view to study the clinical pattern of easily identifiable congenital malformations among neonates. The incidence of congenital malformations in the study was 17·0/1000 live births. Major abnormalities were present in 74·4% and minor ones in 25·6% of cases. The anatomical organs most commonly affected were the central nervous system (CNS), musculoskeletal and renal defects followed by gastrointestinal and chromosomal defects. CNS anomalies accounted for 48·8% of the total defects, hydrocephaly, anencephaly and meningocele being the predominant lesions. The incidence of malformed babies in diabetic mothers was 7·8%. Multiple anomalies were present in 16·7% infants. Of the total 251 malformed infants, 38 died within the first week of life with a mortality rate of 15·1%, compared with the overall perinatal mortality rate of 12·2/1000 live births in the hospital during the period of study. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Volume 21, Issue 6 November 2001 , pages 595 - 598
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