A prospective study of congenital malformations among live born neonates at a University Hospital in Western Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the incidence of major and minor congenital malformations among liveborn infants at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Estimation of risk factors were also evaluated.


METHODS
Between March 2004 and May 2005, a total of 5356 babies born at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, were enrolled in this study for malformations. Details of cases were recorded after parents' interviews, clinical, radiological, and laboratory evaluations.


RESULTS
One hundred and forty-seven (27.06/1000 livebirth) and 13 (2.39/1000 birth) stillbirth had congenital anomalies. In all livebirth, incidences of major anomalies were 93.9% and minor were 6.1%. Mothers of 95.9% with congenital malformation were healthy, 3.4% were diabetic and 0.7% had cardiac malfomation. In 38.8% of cases parents were consanguineous. Among the liveborn births, the most common system involved was cardiovascular (7.1/1000), followed by musculoskeletal/limb (4.1/1000), external genitalia (2.8/1000), urinary (2.6/1000), multiple chromosomal (2.2/1000), orofacial (1.9/1000), central nervous system (1.9/1000), skin (1.7/1000), multiple single gene (1.3/1000), multiple sequence (0.75/1000), eyes (0.56/1000), unclassified (0.19/1000), musculoskeletal/abdominal (0.19/1000), endocrine (0.19/1000).


CONCLUSIONS
High incidence of major malformation in Jeddah. Importance of Genetic Counseling is revealed in our study since more than three quarters of mothers were under 36 years, and may well plan future pregnancies.
Fida
Nadia M
NM
Department of Pediatrics, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, PO Box 80215, Jeddah 21589, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. nadiafida@hotmail.com
Al-Aama
Jumana
J
Nichols
Wafaa
W
Nichols
Wafaa
W
Alqahtani
Mohamed
M
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003241:Consanguinity; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia