Congenital malformations in newborns of consanguineous and non-consanguineous parents

Objective: To find out the pattern of different congenital malformation (CM) and to compare the proportion of congenital malformations between consanguineous and non-consanguineous parents.

Methodology: This observational study was done in Countess of Dufferin Fund Hospital, (CDF) Hyderabad from July 2006 to June 2008. All newborns with congenital anomaly at birth were included. Complete examination of the newborn after birth and relevant investigations were done. Babies with malformations whose parents were consanguineous were compared with babies having CM whose parents were non-consanguineous. Maternal age, parity, singletons, multiple births, still births and neonatal death were also recorded.

Results: Overall prevalence of congenital malformations was 15.7 / 1000 births. Central nervous system anomalies were the commonest (51%). Congenital malformations in the newborns of consanguineous parents were significantly higher than in the newborns of non-consanguineous parents. Still births and neonatal deaths were commoner in the newborns of consanguineous parents.

Conclusion: The results of this study show that parental consanguinity is associated with increased congenital malformations; neural tube defect is the most common anomaly seen.