Provincial and territorial congenital anomalies surveillance: a summary of surveillance programs across Canada. / Surveillance provinciale et territoriale des anomalies congénitales : résumé des programmes de surveillance au Canada.

The Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance Network was established in 2002 to address gaps in the national surveillance of congenital anomalies (CAs) and support the sustainability of high-quality, population-based, CA surveillance systems within provinces and territories. This paper highlights the methodologies of each local CA surveillance system, noting similarities and variabilities between each system, to contribute to enhanced national CA surveillance efforts.

The Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance Network was established in 2002 under the umbrella of the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System to support highquality, population-based congenital anomalies surveillance systems in Canada. Each local congenital anomalies surveillance system covers diverse populations and geography, operates under different structures and has varying program maturity. Engagement of every jurisdiction is essential for sustaining local and national CA surveillance. Provincial and territorial CA surveillance systems are uniquely positioned to support public health priorities.

Le Réseau canadien de surveillance des anomalies congénitales a été créé en 2002, dans le cadre du Système canadien de surveillance périnatale, afin de soutenir des systèmes de surveillance des anomalies congénitales de haute qualité et fondés sur la population à l'échelle du Canada. Les systèmes locaux de surveillance des anomalies congénitales couvrent des populations et des zones géographiques diverses, fonctionnent selon des structures différentes et ont une maturité variable. La participation de chaque administration est essentielle pour soutenir la surveillance locale et nationale des anomalies congénitales. Les systèmes provinciaux et territoriaux de surveillance des anomalies congénitales sont particulièrement bien placés pour soutenir les priorités en matière de santé publique.

Prematurity and congenital malformations differ according to the type of pregestational diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common metabolic disorder in pregnancy. Women with Type 2 DM seems to have no better perinatal outcomes than those with Type 1 DM. METHODS: Single-center prospective cohort observational study. Pregnant women with diabetes (141 with Type 1 DM and 124 with Type 2 DM) that were followed in the university hospital between 2009 and 2021 were included in this study. Clinical data and obstetric and perinatal outcomes were collected. RESULTS: As expected, women with Type 1 DM were younger and had a longer duration of diabetes than women with Type 2 DM. Obesity and chronic hypertension were higher in the group of women with Type 2 DM and their value of HbA1c in the second and third trimesters were lower than in Type 1 DM. No differences in prematurity were found, but more extreme prematurity was observed in Type 2 DM, as well as a higher rate of congenital malformations. The frequency of hypoglycemia and the weight of the newborn was higher in Type 1 DM. The maternal independent factors related to the weight of the newborn were: the glycemic control at the third trimester, the weight gain during pregnancy, and pregestational BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Newborns born to mothers with Type 1 DM were larger and had a higher frequency of hypoglycemia, while congenital malformations and precocious preterm was more associated to Type 2 DM. Metabolic control, weight gain and pregestational weight were important determinants of both obstetric and neonatal complications.

[Correlations of Birth Defects With Birth Weight and Gestational Age].

Objective To analyze the incidence rate of birth defects in infants born at different gestational ages and birth weights,so as to provide a basis for improving the surveillance system and reducing the incidence of birth defects. Methods Data of all perinatal infants born at and after 28 weeks of gestation and within 7 days after delivery in all the hospitals with the obstetrical department from October 1,2003 to September 30,2015 were collected. Results From 2003 to 2015,1 236 937 perinatal infants were monitored,including 10 619 with birth defects (incidence rate of 8.59‰).Among the infants with birth defects identified by the hospital surveillance system of birth defects in Xi'an during the study period,3 306,3 473,and 224 infants showed the birth weights less than 2 500 g,the gestational age within the range of [28,37] weeks,and the gestation age≥42 weeks,respectively.The low birth weight infants showed higher incidence rate of birth defects than the normal birth weight infants (χ2=37 097.79,P<0.001).The premature infants (gestational age<37 weeks) and postterm infants (gestational age≥42 weeks) showed higher incidence rates of birth defects than infants born at normal gestational age (χ2=24 998.24,P<0.001;χ2=196.40,P<0.001).The top five birth defects of low birth weight infants were congenital hydrocephalus,spina bifida,congenital heart disease,anencephaly,and cleft lip and cleft palate.The outcomes of birth defects in normal weight infants and low weight infants were mainly live births (68.60%) and stillbirths (54.72%),respectively,which showed a significant difference (χ2=647.59,P<0.001).The main outcomes of birth defects in the infants born at normal gestation age,postterm infants,and premature infants were mainly live births (77.38%),live births (83.93%),and stillbirths (57.79%),respectively,which showed significant differences (premature infants vs.infants born at normal gestation age: χ2=2 025.08,P<0.001;premature infants vs. postterm infants:χ2=245.39,P<0.001;infants born at normal gestation age vs.postterm infants:χ2=16.28,P=0.001). Conclusions Premature infants,low birth weight infants,and postterm infants showed significantly higher incidence rate of birth defects than the infants born at normal gestation age.The outcomes of birth defects had significant differences between low birth weight infants and normal birth weight infants,between premature infants and infants born at normal gestation age,between premature infants and postterm infants,and between infants born at normal gestation age and postterm infants.

Multivariate logistic regression analysis of risk factors for birth defects: a study from population-based surveillance data.

OBJECTIVE: To explore risk factors for birth defects (including a broad range of specific defects). METHODS: Data were derived from the Population-based Birth Defects Surveillance System in Hunan Province, China, 2014-2020. The surveillance population included all live births, stillbirths, infant deaths, and legal termination of pregnancy between 28 weeks gestation and 42 days postpartum. The prevalence of birth defects (number of birth defects per 1000 infants) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (method: Forward, Wald, α = 0.05) and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were used to identify risk factors for birth defects. We used the presence or absence of birth defects (or specific defects) as the dependent variable, and eight variables (sex, residence, number of births, paternal age, maternal age, number of pregnancies, parity, and maternal household registration) were entered as independent variables in multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Our study included 143,118 infants, and 2984 birth defects were identified, with a prevalence of 20.85% (95%CI: 20.10-21.60). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that seven variables (except for parity) were associated with birth defects (or specific defects). There were five factors associated with the overall birth defects. The risk factors included males (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.39-1.61), multiple births (OR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.18-1.76), paternal age < 20 (OR = 2.20, 95%CI: 1.19-4.09) or 20-24 (OR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.42-1.94), maternal age 30-34 (OR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.04-1.29) or > = 35 (OR = 1.56, 95%CI: 1.33-1.81), and maternal non-local household registration (OR = 2.96, 95%CI: 2.39-3.67). Some factors were associated with the specific defects. Males were risk factors for congenital metabolic disorders (OR = 3.86, 95%CI: 3.15-4.72), congenital limb defects (OR = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.14-1.58), and congenital kidney and urinary defects (OR = 2.35, 95%CI: 1.65-3.34). Rural areas were risk factors for congenital metabolic disorders (OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.01-1.44). Multiple births were risk factors for congenital heart defects (OR = 2.09, 95%CI: 1.55-2.82), congenital kidney and urinary defects (OR = 2.14, 95%CI: 1.05-4.37), and cleft lip and/or palate (OR = 2.85, 95%CI: 1.32-6.15). Paternal age < 20 was the risk factor for congenital limb defects (OR = 3.27, 95%CI: 1.10-9.71), 20-24 was the risk factor for congenital heart defects (OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.24-2.17), congenital metabolic disorders (OR = 1.56, 95%CI: 1.11-2.21), congenital limb defects (OR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.14-2.29), and congenital ear defects (OR = 2.13, 95%CI: 1.17-3.89). Maternal age < 20 was the risk factor for cleft lip and/or palate (OR = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.24-7.95), 30-34 was the risk factor for congenital limb defects (OR = 1.37, 95%CI: 1.09-1.73), >=35 was the risk factor for congenital heart defects (OR = 1.51, 95%CI: 1.14-1.99), congenital limb defects (OR = 1.98, 95%CI: 1.41-2.78), and congenital ear defects (OR = 1.82, 95%CI: 1.06-3.10). Number of pregnancies = 2 was the risk factor for congenital nervous system defects (OR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.19-4.32), >=4 was the risk factor for chromosomal abnormalities (OR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.06-3.88) and congenital nervous system defects (OR = 3.03, 95%CI: 1.23-7.47). Maternal non-local household registration was the risk factor for congenital heart defects (OR = 3.57, 95%CI: 2.54-5.03), congenital metabolic disorders (OR = 1.89, 95%CI: 1.06-3.37), congenital limb defects (OR = 2.94, 95%CI: 1.86-4.66), and congenital ear defects (OR = 3.26, 95%CI: 1.60-6.65). CONCLUSION: In summary, several risk factors were associated with birth defects (including a broad range of specific defects). One risk factor may be associated with several defects, and one defect may be associated with several risk factors. Future studies should examine the mechanisms. Our findings have significant public health implications as some factors are modifiable or avoidable, such as promoting childbirths at the appropriate age, improving the medical and socio-economic conditions of non-local household registration residents, and devoting more resources to some specific defects in high-risk groups, which may help reducing birth defects in China.

The status and influencing factors of abnormal fetal pregnancy outcomes in 265 cases in China: a retrospective study.

Background: With the advancement of prenatal diagnosis technology, the detection rate of fetal abnormalities continues to increase, imposing a significant burden on both society and families. A retrospective analysis of essential information about pregnant women, such as their pregnancy history and delivery details, is crucial for understanding the primary factors that influence pregnancy outcomes in women with fetal abnormalities. This analysis is of great significance for improving the level of pregnancy management and outcomes in pregnant women with fetal abnormalities. Objective: To retrospectively analyze the pregnancy outcomes of women with fetal abnormalities and explore the factors that influence these outcomes. Methods: Pregnant women's pregnancy outcomes were collected from the medical information system and through telephone follow-ups. The chi-square test and logistic regression were used to analyze the factors influencing pregnancy outcomes. Results: Among 265 pregnant women diagnosed with fetal abnormalities, 190 chose to continue the pregnancy, while 75 chose to terminate it. Pregnant women with multiple fetal abnormalities (OR = 3.774, 95% CI [1.640-8.683]) were more likely to choose termination of pregnancy (TOP), and pregnant women who were advised to terminate their pregnancy or make a careful choice were more likely to terminate the pregnancy (OR = 41.113, 95% CI [11.028-153.267]). Conclusion: The number of organs involved in fetal abnormalities and treatment recommendations were identified as the primary factors influencing pregnancy outcomes. Improving awareness of maternal health care during pregnancy, early pregnancy screening technology, and a multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment approach are of great significance in assisting pregnant women in making informed decisions and improving fetal prognosis.

Assisted reproduction and congenital malformations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Prior studies have explored the links between congenital anomalies and assisted reproduction techniques, among other factors. However, it remains unclear whether a particular technique harbors an inherent risk of major congenital anomalies, either cumulatively or in an organ-specific manner. A meta-analysis was conducted using relevant studies from inception to February 2023 using six databases and two appropriate registers. Sources of heterogeneity were explored using sub-group analysis, using study weight, risk of bias and geographical location of original studies. Neonates conceived through assisted reproduction appear to have a higher risk of major congenital anomalies compared to naturally conceived neonates, OR 0.67 [95% CI 0.59, 0.76], I2 = 97%, p < 0.00001, with neonates conceived through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at a 9% higher chance of being affected in comparison to neonates conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The increase in cardiac, gastrointestinal (GI), and neurological congenital anomalies appears to be independent of the assisted reproduction technique, while urogenital and musculoskeletal (MSK) anomalies were found to be increased in ICSI compared with IVF, OR 0.83 [95% CI 0.69, 0.98]; p = 0.03, I2 = 0%, and OR 0.65 [95% CI 0.49, 0.85]; p = 0.002, I2 = 80%, respectively. Neonates conceived using assisted reproduction techniques appear to be at higher risk of major congenital anomalies, with a higher risk attributable to conception using ICSI. The increase in cardiac, neurological, and GI congenital anomalies does not appear to be technique-specific, while the opposite held true for urogenital and MSK anomalies.

Prevalence and associated factors of congenital anomalies in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Congenital anomalies represent a significant contributor to infant mortality, morbidity, and enduring disability. With this in mind, the present investigation endeavour to ascertain the pooled prevalence of congenital anomalies and associated determinants among neonates in Ethiopia. METHOD: PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHAL, Hinari, and Global Health databases were systematically searched. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) assessment checklist was used to assess quality of included studies. Data were extracted from database and exported to stataMP-17 for analysis. Pooled prevalence was determined using DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. The degree of heterogeneity and Publication bias were assessed using I2 statistics and Eggers test, respectively. Study protocol was registered under PROSPERO ID CRD42021229140. RESULT: A total of 18 studies with 519,327 participants were included in the study. Pooled prevalence of congenital anomalies in Ethiopia was 2% (95% CI: 0.02, 0.03%). Among affected newborns neural tube defect (48%) was the most common congenital anomaly in Ethiopia, followed by orofacial cleft (19%). Risk factors such as alcohol consumption (pooled OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.54, 3.38), lack of folic acid supplement (pooled OR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.09-7.36), medication during pregnancy (pooled OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.03-6.47), khat (Catha edulis) chewing (pooled OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.61-3.71), exposure to pesticides (pooled OR: 4.45, 95% CI: 2.44-8.09) and maternal illness (pooled OR:1.79, 95% CI: 1.03, 3.10) had statistically significant association with congenital anomalies in Ethiopia. CONCLUSION: In this review, prevalence of congenital anomalies in Ethiopia was high with considerable regional variation. The most common type of congenital anomaly in Ethiopia was neural tube defects, followed by oro-facial cleft. Alcohol consumption, inadequate intake of folic acid, khat chewing, maternal diseases, exposure to pesticides, and use of medication during pregnancy were identified as potential contributors to congenital abnormalities in Ethiopia.

Risk of birth defects in children of mothers with defects.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that women with congenital anomalies are at risk of having an infant with the same defect. However, the risk of having an infant with a different type of defect is less well described. AIMS: We evaluated the extent to which offspring of women with congenital anomalies were at risk of having a birth defect, including defects that were similar to or different from their mother's. METHODS: We analyzed a retrospective cohort of 1,311,532 infants born in Canada between 2006 and 2022. The exposure was a maternal congenital anomaly, and the outcome included birth defects in the newborn. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and confidence intervals (CI) for the association of specific maternal anomalies with the risk of having an infant with a similar or different defect using log-binomial regression models adjusted for patient characteristics. RESULTS: While mothers with anomalies were at risk of having an infant with the same defect, associations with other types of defects were not as strong. For example, compared with no maternal anomaly, maternal urogenital defects were associated with up to 45 times the risk of having an infant with a similar urogenital defect (RR 45.33, 95 % CI 31.92-64.36), but <2 times the risk of having an infant with orofacial clefts (RR 1.89, 95 % CI 1.07-3.34) and clubfoot (RR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.02-1.81). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that maternal congenital anomalies are only weakly associated with occurrence of a different type of defect in offspring.

Neonatal outcomes in women with Multiple Sclerosis - Influence of disease activity: A Danish nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been associated with an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. We hypothesized that active disease during conception and pregnancy plays an important role in this context, which this study aims to address. METHODS: We used the Danish registers to conduct a nationwide cohort study. Information on maternal disease activity during pregnancy was retrieved using proxies from the linked registers (hospitalization, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, and use of systemic corticosteroids during pregnancy). Neonates, exposed in utero to maternal disease activity constituted the exposed cohort and the unexposed cohort constituted neonates without in utero exposure to maternal disease activity. The examined outcomes were preterm birth, small for gestational age, low 5-minute Apgar score, and major congenital anomalies. In logistic regression models we estimated the odds ratios (OR) with adjustment for confounders such as maternal age, comorbidities, parity, smoking, calendar year of birth, and disease-modifying treatment. RESULTS: Among the study population of 2492 children of mothers with MS we identified 273 (11 %) neonates exposed to maternal disease activity during pregnancy, and 2219 (89 %) neonates without exposure to disease activity. The adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for preterm birth, small for gestational age, low 5-minute Apgar score, and major congenital anomalies among children born to women with disease activity during pregnancy were 0.92 (95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 0.53-1.60), aOR 1.19 (95 % CI 0.62-2.26), aOR 2.57 (95 % CI 0.93-7.15) and aOR 0.93 (95 % CI 0.48-1.83), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Women with MS having disease activity during pregnancy did not have a statistically significantly increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes compared to women with MS without disease activity, which is overall reassuring results. We believe, that this will be useful knowledge for patients and clinicians in planning a pregnancy and preparing a birth plan.

Epidemiology of congenital polydactyly and syndactyly in Hunan Province, China.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and epidemiology of congenital polydactyly and syndactyly in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Birth Defects Surveillance System in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Prevalence of birth defects (polydactyly or syndactyly) is the number of cases per 1000 births (unit: ‰). Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by the log-binomial method. Chi-square trend tests (χ2trend) were used to determine trends in prevalence by year. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the association of each demographic characteristic with polydactyly and syndactyly. RESULTS: Our study included 847,755 births, and 14,459 birth defects were identified, including 1,888 polydactyly and 626 syndactyly cases, accounting for 13.06% and 4.33% of birth defects, respectively. The prevalences of total birth defects, polydactyly, and syndactyly were 17.06‰ (95%CI: 16.78-17.33), 2.23‰ (95%CI: 2.13-2.33), and 0.74‰ (95%CI: 0.68-0.80), respectively. Most polydactyly (96.77%) and syndactyly (95.69%) were diagnosed postnatally (within 7 days). From 2016 to 2020, the prevalences of polydactyly were 1.94‰, 2.07‰, 2.20‰, 2.54‰, and 2.48‰, respectively, showing an upward trend (χ2trend = 19.48, P < 0.01); The prevalences of syndactyly were 0.62‰, 0.66‰, 0.77‰, 0.81‰, and 0.89‰, respectively, showing an upward trend (χ2trend = 10.81, P = 0.03). Hand polydactyly (2.26‰ vs. 1.33‰, OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.52-1.87) and hand syndactyly (0.43‰ vs. 0.28‰, OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.14-1.76) were more common in males than females. Polydactyly (2.67‰ vs. 1.93‰, OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.26-1.51) and syndactyly (0.91‰ vs. 0.62‰, OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.26-1.72) were more common in urban areas than in rural areas. Compared to maternal age 25-29, hand polydactyly was more common in maternal age < 20 (2.48‰ vs. 1.74‰, OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.01-2.02) or ≥ 35 (2.25‰ vs. 1.74‰, OR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.12-1.50). CONCLUSION: In summary, we have described the prevalence and epidemiology of polydactyly and syndactyly from hospital-based surveillance in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Our findings make some original contributions to the field, which may be valuable for future research.

Eliminating first trimester combined testing: Consequences for early detection of significant fetal anomalies.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether implementation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing for aneuploidy as a first-tier test and subsequent abolition of first trimester combined testing (FCT) affected the first trimester detection (<14 weeks) of certain fetal anomalies. METHODS: We performed a geographical cohort study in two Fetal Medicine Units between 2011 and 2020, including 705 fetuses with prenatally detected severe brain, abdominal wall and congenital heart defects. Cases were divided into two groups: before (n = 396) and after (n = 309) cfDNA introduction. The primary outcome was the first trimester detection rate (<14 weeks) overall and for non-chromosomal anomalies solely. RESULTS: Overall, gastroschisis, AVSD and HLHS were detected more often in the first trimester in the before group compared to the after group, respectively 54.5% versus 18.5% (p = 0.004), 45.9% versus 26.9% (p = 0.008) and 30% versus 3.4% (p = 0.005). After exclusion of chromosomal anomalies identifiable through cfDNA testing, the detection of AVSD remained higher in the before group (43.3% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.02), leading to a possible earlier gestation at termination. The termination of pregnancy (TOP) rate did not differ among the groups. In the after group, referrals for suspected anomalies following a dating scan between 11 and 14 weeks significantly increased from 17.4% to 29.1% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study underscores the value of a scan dedicated to fetal anatomy in the first trimester as we observed a decline in the early detection of certain fetal anomalies (detectable in the first trimester) subsequent to the abolition of FCT.

The Association of Prenatal Diagnoses with Mortality and Long-Term Morbidity in Children with Specific Isolated Congenital Anomalies: A European Register-Based Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare 5-year survival rate and morbidity in children with spina bifida, transposition of great arteries (TGA), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) or gastroschisis diagnosed prenatally with those diagnosed postnatally. METHODS: Population-based registers' data were linked to hospital and mortality databases. RESULTS: Children whose anomaly was diagnosed prenatally (n = 1088) had a lower mean gestational age than those diagnosed postnatally (n = 1698) ranging from 8 days for CDH to 4 days for TGA. Children with CDH had the highest infant mortality rate with a significant difference (p < 0.001) between those prenatally (359/1,000 births) and postnatally (116/1,000) diagnosed. For all four anomalies, the median length of hospital stay was significantly greater in children with a prenatal diagnosis than those postnatally diagnosed. Children with prenatally diagnosed spina bifida (79% vs 60%; p = 0.002) were more likely to have surgery in the first week of life, with an indication that this also occurred in children with CDH (79% vs 69%; p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not show improved outcomes for prenatally diagnosed infants. For conditions where prenatal diagnoses were associated with greater mortality and morbidity, the findings might be attributed to increased detection of more severe anomalies. The increased mortality and morbidity in those diagnosed prenatally may be related to the lower mean gestational age (GA) at birth, leading to insufficient surfactant for respiratory effort. This is especially important for these four groups of children as they have to undergo anaesthesia and surgery shortly after birth. Appropriate prenatal counselling about the time and mode of delivery is needed.

Hospital care in the first 10 years of life of children with congenital anomalies in six European countries: data from the EUROlinkCAT cohort linkage study.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the hospital care for children born with a major congenital anomaly up to 10 years of age compared with children without a congenital anomaly. DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS: 79 591 children with congenital anomalies and 2 021 772 children without congenital anomalies born 1995-2014 in six European countries in seven regions covered by congenital anomaly registries were linked to inpatient electronic health records up to their 10th birthday. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of days in hospital and number of surgeries. RESULTS: During the first year of life among the seven regions, a median of 2.4% (IQR: 2.3, 3.2) of children with a congenital anomaly accounted for 18% (14, 24) of days in hospital and 63% (62, 76) of surgeries. Over the first 10 years of life, the percentages were 17% (15, 20) of days in hospital and 20% (19, 22) of surgeries. Children with congenital anomalies spent 8.8 (7.5, 9.9) times longer in hospital during their first year of life than children without anomalies (18 days compared with 2 days) and 5 (4.1-6.1) times longer aged, 5-9 (0.5 vs 0.1 days). In the first year of life, children with gastrointestinal anomalies spent 40 times longer and those with severe heart anomalies 20 times longer in hospital reducing to over 5 times longer when aged 5-9. CONCLUSIONS: Children with a congenital anomaly consume a significant proportion of hospital care resources. Priority should be given to public health primary prevention measures to reduce the risk of congenital anomalies.

Higher risk of cerebral palsy, seizures/epilepsy, visual- and hearing impairments, cancer, injury and child abuse in children with congenital anomalies: Data from the EUROlinkCAT study.

AIM: The aim is to examine the risk of cerebral palsy, seizures/epilepsy, visual- and hearing impairments, cancer, injury/poisoning and child abuse in children with and without a congenital anomaly up to age 5 and 10 years. METHODS: This is a population-based data linkage cohort study linking information from the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies network (EUROCAT) and birth registries to hospital discharge databases. We included 91 504 live born children with major congenital anomalies born from 1995 to 2014 from nine EUROCAT registries in five countries and 1 960 727 live born children without congenital anomalies (reference children). Prevalence and relative risk (RR) were estimated for each of the co-morbidities using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. RESULTS: Children with congenital anomalies had higher risks of the co-morbidities than reference children. The prevalences in the reference children were generally very low. The RR was 13.8 (95% CI 12.5-15.1) for cerebral palsy, 2.5 (95% CI 2.4-2.6) for seizures/epilepsy, 40.8 (95% CI 33.2-50.2) for visual impairments, 10.0 (95% CI 9.2-10.9) for hearing loss, 3.6 (95% CI 3.2-4.2) for cancer, 1.5 (95% CI 1.4-1.5) for injuries/poisoning and 2.4 (95% CI 1.7-3.4) for child abuse. CONCLUSION: Children with congenital anomalies were more likely to be diagnosed with the specified co-morbidities compared to reference children.

[Analysis of risk factors for congenital auriclar deformity and its different types].

Objective:To Explore the clinical characteristics,risk factors,and differences in risk factors for different types of congenital auricular deformities,in order to provide theoretical basis for precise prevention and control of congenital auriclar deformity. Methods:Full-term newborns born in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2022 to January 2023 were screened for auricle malformation, general information and data were collected,,and high-risk factors were investigated withself-made questionnaire.Using a case-control study method,newborns with auriclar deformities were selected as the case group and those without auriclar deformities during the same period were selected as the control group.A case-control study was conducted to analyze the incidence rate,high-risk factors,and differences in high-risk factors for different types of auricle deformities. Results:A total of 1 758 newborns （3 516 ears） were included in this study,including 562 newborns（927 ears） with auriclar deformities,the incidence of congenital malformations of the auricle is 26.37%.Among them,289 ears （8.22%） were helical rim deformity,244 ears （6.94%） were lidding/lop ear,166 ears （4.72%） were mixed deformities,131 ears （3.73%） were prominent/cup ear,79 ears （2.25%） were Stahl's ears,16 ears （0.46%） were abnormal conchal crus,and 2 ears （0.06%） were cryptotia.Maternal history of infection in early pregnancy（OR=1.513，95%CI 1.119-2.045）,previous miscarriage history（OR=1.300，95%CI 1.049-1.613）,and abnormal pregnancy（OR=1.278，95%CI 1.032-1.582） are risk factors for congenital auricular malformations.There was no statistically significant difference in the history of infection（χ²=1.877，P=0.391）,previous miscarriage（χ²=4.706，P=0.095）,and abnormal pregnancy（χ²=5.026，P=0.081） among mothers with helical rim deformity,lidding/lop ear,and mixed deformities. Conclusion:The incidence rate of congenital auricle deformity is high, with common malformations such as helical rim deformity, lidding/lop ear,and mixed deformities. Congenital auricular deformity is caused by various factors, the same risk factor has roughly the same impact on different types of morphological abnormalities.

Cohort profile: the National Congenital Anomaly Registration Dataset in England.

PURPOSE: The National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS), part of National Disease Registration Service in National Health Service England, quality assures, curates and analyses individual data on the pregnancies, fetuses, babies, children and adults with congenital anomalies and rare diseases across England. The congenital anomaly (CA) register provides a resource for patients and their families, clinicians, researchers and public health professionals in furthering the understanding of CAs. PARTICIPANTS: NCARDRS registers CAs occurring in babies born alive and stillborn, fetal losses and terminations in England. NCARDRS collects data from secondary and tertiary healthcare providers, private providers and laboratories covering fetal medicine, maternity or paediatric services. Data describe the pregnancy, mother, baby and anomaly. Established in 2015, NCARDRS expanded CA registration coverage from 22% of total births in England in 2015 to national coverage, which was achieved in 2018. Prior to 2015, data collection was performed independently by regional registers in England; these data are also held by NCARDRS. FINDINGS TO DATE: NCARDRS registers approximately 21 000 babies with CAs per year with surveillance covering around 600 000 total births, the largest birth coverage for a CA register globally. Data on prevalence, risk factors and survival for children with CAs are available. Data have been used in several peer-reviewed publications. Birth prevalence statistics, including public health indicators such as the association with maternal age, infant and perinatal mortality, are published annually. NCARDRS supports clinical audit for screening programmes and service evaluation. FUTURE PLANS: NCARDRS provides a valuable resource for the understanding of the epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and treatment of CAs. Currently, approximately 21 000 new registrations of babies or fetuses with suspected or confirmed CAs are added each year. Identifiers are collected, enabling linkage to routinely collected healthcare and population statistics, further enhancing the value of the data.

A retrospective review of the association between maternal body mass index and the risk of congenital anomalies.

The objective of the study was to examine the association of congenital anomalies with the specific classes of pre-pregnancy BMI. An IRB-approved retrospective cohort study was performed using the data from the Natality Public Use File from the National Center for Health Statistics (2019). We included all singleton live births and excluded pregnancies with suspected or confirmed chromosomal abnormalities and people with pre-existing diabetes mellitus and missing pertinent data. The primary outcome was the incidence of any major congenital anomalies in liveborn infants. The incidence of anomaly was analyzed across all BMI classes, using individuals with BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 as the comparison group. A test of trend was also performed to determine if the risk increased as the BMI class increased. A total of 3 047 382 maternal-neonatal dyads were included in the analysis. A non-significant higher incidence of any major anomaly was noted among people who had underweight and class III BMI. The risk of open neural tube defects, omphalocele, and cleft lip/palate increased and the risk of gastroschisis decreased with an increase in maternal BMI class (p < 0.05). The incidence of congenital anomalies increases as the pre-pregnancy BMI increases. Individuals should be encouraged to optimize their weight prior to conception and if feasible, they should obtain screening for fetal anatomy assessment by a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist.

Surveillance of multiple congenital anomalies; searching for new associations.

Many human teratogens are associated with a spectrum of congenital anomalies rather than a single defect, and therefore the identification of congenital anomalies occurring together more frequently than expected may improve the detection of teratogens. Thirty-two EUROCAT congenital anomaly registries covering 6,599,765 births provided 123,566 cases with one or more major congenital anomalies (excluding chromosomal and genetic syndromes) for the birth years 2008-2016. The EUROCAT multiple congenital anomaly algorithm identified 8804 cases with two or more major congenital anomalies in different organ systems, that were not recognized as part of a syndrome or sequence. For each pair of anomalies, the odds of a case having both anomalies relative to having only one anomaly was calculated and the p value was estimated using a two-sided Fisher's exact test. The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure adjusted p values to control the false discovery rate and pairs of anomalies with adjusted p values < 0.05 were identified. A total of 1386 combinations of two anomalies were analyzed. Out of the 31 statistically significant positive associations identified, 20 were found to be known associations or sequences already described in the literature and 11 were considered "potential new associations" by the EUROCAT Coding and Classification Committee. After a review of the literature and a detailed examination of the individual cases with the anomaly pairs, six pairs remained classified as new associations. In summary, systematically searching for congenital anomalies occurring together more frequently than expected using the EUROCAT database is worthwhile and has identified six new associations that merit further investigation.

Prevalence of congenital anomalies according to maternal race and ethnicity, Texas, 1999-2018.

BACKGROUND: Few studies of congenital anomalies provide prevalence estimates stratified by maternal race/ethnicity. We sought to determine whether the prevalence of a broad spectrum of anomalies varies among offspring of women from different race/ethnic groups. METHODS: We obtained information on cases with anomalies from the population-based Texas Birth Defects Registry, and denominator data on livebirths among Texas residents during 1999-2018 from the Texas Center for Health Statistics. We estimated the prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of N = 145 anomalies among offspring of Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black relative to non-Hispanic White women using Poisson regression, adjusting for maternal age, education, body mass index, and previous livebirths. We performed a two-stage analysis with a Bonferroni-adjusted p < 1.7 × 10-4 in the initial screening phase to identify anomalies with statistically significant variation. RESULTS: There were 7,698,768 livebirths and 1,187,385 anomalies diagnosed in 368,393 cases. The prevalence of any monitored congenital anomaly was similar among offspring of non-Hispanic White (referent), non-Hispanic Black (PR 0.98, CI 0.96-1.00), and Hispanic (PR 0.95, CI 0.93-0.96) women. We observed statistically significant racial/ethnic variation for 42 anomalies. Marked differences were observed when comparing offspring of non-Hispanic Black to non-Hispanic White women with respect to polydactyly (PR 4.38, CI 4.07-4.72), pyloric stenosis (PR 0.34, CI 0.29-0.40), and aortic valve atresia/stenosis (PR 0.51, CI 0.36-0.72). CONCLUSIONS: Birth prevalence of many major congenital anomalies varies by maternal race and ethnicity. While the reasons for these differences are likely multifactorial, a thorough understanding of racial and ethnic disparities is useful to stimulate etiologic research.

Association of maternal cancer with congenital anomalies in offspring.

BACKGROUND: Congenital anomalies are common, but the possibility that maternal cancer increases the chance of having a child with a birth defect is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between maternal cancer before or during pregnancy and the risk of birth defects in offspring. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of live births in Quebec, Canada, between 1989 and 2022 using hospital data. The main exposure measure was maternal cancer before or during pregnancy. The outcome included birth defects detected in offspring during gestation or at birth. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of maternal cancer with birth defects using log-binomial regression models adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: In this study of 2,568,120 newborns, birth defects were present in 6.0% and 6.7% of infants whose mothers had cancer before or during pregnancy, respectively, compared with 5.7% of infants whose mothers never had cancer. Cancer during pregnancy was associated with heart (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.03, 2.44), nervous system (RR 4.05, 95% CI 2.20, 7.46) and urinary defects (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.01, 2.95). Among specific types of malignancies during pregnancy, breast cancer was the most prominent risk factor for birth defects (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.02, 2.37). Cancer before pregnancy was not associated with any type of birth defect or with defects overall (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.92, 1.11). Moreover, no specific type of cancer before pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of birth defects. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal cancer during pregnancy is associated with the risk of congenital anomalies in offspring, however, cancer before pregnancy is not associated with this outcome.