INCIDENCE OF CONGENITAL DEFECTS IN NEWBORNS: A SURGICAL AND CLINICAL STUDY.

J Peop Univ Med Health Sci. 2025:15(2), 108-116. http://doi.org/10.46536/jpumhs/2025/15.02.630

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Newborn congenital defects remain a major reason behind mortality and health problems among infants globally particularly within low- and middle-income nations. The analysis sought to find the occurrence rate besides risk elements and health results of birth defects manifesting
among newborns who received care at PUMHS Nawabshah. METHODS: A prospective observational research investigation took place throughout January 2021 to December 2022. The researchers studied 1,200 newborns and diagnosed 120 of them with congenital defects. The researchers used SPSS version 25 to process data which they gathered from newborns in addition to demographic, prenatal and clinical information. RESULTS: Eight newborns among 1200 had congenital defects resulting in an incidence rate of 10%. Newborns with CHDs comprised the largest group of anomalies at 35.8% and NTDs followed closely behind at 22.5%. Varying studies identified consanguinity as a 45.8% contributor to risk together with maternal ages above thirty years at 19.2% and non-utilization of folate supplements at 65.8%. Consanguinity along with maternal age greater than 30 years and the absence of folate supplementation emerged as separate danger signs for birth defects through logistic regression analysis (aOR = 2.10, aOR = 1.82, aOR = 1.67 respectively). Roughly 70.8% of patients required surgery while the total complications reached 18.3% and mortality exceeded 12.5%. CONCLUSION: This region experiences a high frequency of congenital abnormalities which requires immediate public health initiatives for folate supplementation besides genetic healthcare support and better surgical treatment services for newborns.