Gross Congenital Anomalies at Birth in Northeast India- A Retrospective Observational Study
SC06-SC10
Correspondence
Dr. Monalisa Bhoktiari,
Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Post Office: Indrapur, Guwahati-781032, Assam, India.
E-mail: monalisa.bhoktiari@gmail.com
Introduction: Congenital Anomalies (CAs) are a significant cause of neonatal mortality in both developed and developing nations. CAs can have different patterns, prevalence rates, and risk factors across time and different geographic regions.
Aim: To find out the incidence of CA occurring among institutional live births and to study the associated maternal and perinatal risk factors in Northeast region of India.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Guwahati, Assam, India from January 2019 to December 2019. All newborns with CAs during this period were included. Maternal and labour ward records were obtained, including data on maternal and antenatal factors such as age, parity, history of consanguinity, family history of congenital abnormality, and mode of delivery. The data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY, USA). Proportions were calculated, and associations were tested with the Chi-square test and Fisher’s-exact test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to find the independent factor(s) for congenital anomaly.
Results: During the study period, there were 13,530 deliveries, which included 13,290 (98.2%) live births and 240 (1.8%) stillbirths. Out of 13,290 newborns, 349 had one or more CAs, accounting for an incidence of 2.6%. The Gastrointestinal (GIT) system was the most commonly affected (33.8%), followed by the Central Nervous System (CNS) (20.9%) and craniofacial (11.7%) system. Cases of congenital anomalies were found in 2.7% of multiparas, whereas in primiparas, the proportion was only 2.3%. In univariate analysis, birth weight, gender, gestational age, maternal age, parity, and mode of delivery showed a significant association with the incidence of congenital anomaly (p<0.05*). Regression analysis showed that three variables significantly affected the occurrence of CAs: gender Odd’s Ratio (OR) (OR=0.341), gestational age (OR=32.7) and, parity (OR=0.016).
Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of GIT, CNS, and craniofacial anomalies in this region. The major determinants for CAs were gestational age, gender, and parity.