Postnatal outcome of congenital anomalies in low resource setting.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the postnatal outcome of congenital malformations in a tertiary care hospital of India.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

This was a prospective study of all women with prenatally detected major congenital malformations. Postnatal follow-up of live born babies was carried out for 1 year.

RESULTS

There were 574 cases with major congenital anomalies, 523 of which were fully followed. Only 69 women (13.6%) had the initial scan before 20 weeks of gestation. Craniospinal defects were the most common (42.7%), followed by genitourinary anomalies (28%). There was no live birth in cases such as anencephaly, iniencephaly, bilateral renal agenesis, gastroschisis, and cystic hygroma. Survival at 1 year was less than 25% in spina bifida, bilateral cystic kidneys, complex cardiac disease, and non-immune hydrops fetalis. In cases with mild hydrocephalus or unilateral and mild renal disease, the survival was over 75%.

CONCLUSION

In India, the majority of congenital anomalies present late in gestation. Although fetal outcome is invariably poor for severe defects, existing legislation in the country leaves pregnancy continuation as the only option.