[Congenital disorders in the first year of life].
OBJECTIVE
Assessment of the prevalence of congenital malformations in a population-based birth cohort of 2151 children.


METHODS
Information about congenital malformations was obtained of 2092 infants by the Child Health Clinic nurses and by the CHC physician during six consultations in the first year of life.


RESULTS
In 29% of the infants a congenital malformation was diagnosed. In 37 children (1.8%) 40 major malformations were found. More than three quarters of the malformations were diagnosed in the first three months of life. Using the EUROCAT criteria, a difference existed between the incidence of congenital malformations in liveborn infants in SMOCK (4.0%) and in EUROCAT (2.3%). This difference is mainly caused by the difference in the number of reports on congenital hip dislocation. The prevalence of major defects was similar in both SMOCK (central nervous system: 14/10,000; circulatory system: 67/10,000; ventricular septal defect 29/10,000; schisis: 14/10,000; Down syndrome: 14/10,000) and EUROCAT:


CONCLUSIONS
By systematic and structured reporting it is possible to obtain more complete information on the prevalence of congenital malformations than by voluntary notification. One quarter of the congenital malformations is not detected before the age of 3 months.
Reerink
J D
JD
Nederlands Instituut voor Praeventieve Gezondheidszorg-TNO, afd. Jeugd en Gezondheid, Leiden.
Herngreen
W P
WP
Verkerk
P H
PH
Ruys
J H
JH
Verloove-Vanhorick
S P
SP
D015331:Cohort Studies; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence