[Incidence of congenital malformations at birth in a series of maternity patients of Guadeloupe].

A study of 8,142 live and still-born babies was carried out from July 1979 to February 1983 in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). The total incidence of malformations detected at birth was 1.71% (minor malformations such as polydactyly being very frequent in this population were excluded). Among the malformed children, 25% had multiple malformations and 17% were still-born. Two types of malformations seem to be particularly frequent: those of the central nervous system (3.8%) and of the digestive tract (2.45%). The malformed group differs in birth-weight and size, in still-birth rate and in the incidence of obstetrical history.