Association between congenital malformation and neonatal and maternal variables in neonatal units of a Northeast Brazilian city

Fabíola Chaves Fontoura,Maria Vera Lúcia Moreira Leitão Cardoso

doi:10.1590/0104-07072014002320013

Fabíola Chaves Fontoura, Maria Vera Lúcia Moreira Leitão Cardoso

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-07072014002320013

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Abstract

Congenital malformations occur due to genetic, environmental, and mixed factors or unknown causes. This study aimed to investigate the existence of a relationship between the type of congenital malformation and maternal and neonatal variables. This prospective, quantitative study was conducted in three public neonatal units in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data were collected from the medical records of 159 malformed neonates and analyzed using the Chi-square test (χ2), significance level of 5% (p<0.05). The majority of the newborns were male, 85 (53%), 91 (57%) born full-term, and 82 (52%) weighed between 2500g and 3999g. Malformations of the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems exceeded the other categories. Variables such as gender, gestational age, birth weight, drug use, maternal age, family income, education level, and number of children showed statistically significant associations with the categories of malformations (p<0.05). Maternal and neonatal factors have close relationships with the type of malformation, with these data providing support for neonatal nursing care.

Highlights

The definition for the term Congenital Malformation (CM), according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) includes any defect in the constitution of any organ or set of organs that determines a structural or functional morphological abnormality present at birth or not, caused by genetic, environmental or mixed factors.[1]
The characterization of the 159 newborns affected by congenital malformations showed a prevalence of males, constituting 53% (85) of the sample, followed by females with 43% (68) and 4% (6) indeterminate; the more frequent gestational age (GA) was between 37 weeks and 41 weeks and six days, with 57% (91), followed by less than 37 weeks of age with 43% (68), these being evaluated through the Capurro method, which is used by the institutions studied
According to the aforementioned results, among the 159 newborns affected by CM, the majority were male with 53%, followed by female (43%); the predominant GA was between 37 weeks and 41weeks and 6 days; and 52% of the total had an adequate weight of 2500g to 3999g

Summary

Introduction

The definition for the term Congenital Malformation (CM), according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) includes any defect in the constitution of any organ or set of organs that determines a structural or functional morphological abnormality present at birth or not, caused by genetic, environmental or mixed factors.[1] It can be classified as isolated or associated, physical or mental, single or multiple, and of greater or lesser clinical importance.[2]. In the remaining 40%, the common causes can be divided into three categories: genetic (chromosomal abnormalities), environmental (teratogens) and mixed or multifactorial (genetic and environmental).[3]. There are the malformation causing teratogenic factors, which can be classified into the following categories: chemicals agents (licit and illicit drugs, medications and chemical substances), biological agents (infections) and physical agents (ionizing radiation and temperature).[5]

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