Call for multinational studies of the epidemiology of congenital heart disease in the Arab world

Abstract

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is the commonest congenital anomaly worldwide representing nearly one third of all congenital malformations presenting in the neonatal period. Arabs have a high fertility rates and they are liable to have more children with congenital defects including CHD. High rates of consanguineous marriages may increase rates of congenital and genetic anomalies. No reliable statistics exist and assumption that the incidence of congenital defects in the Arab world being greater than the rest of the world is only anecdotal. It is therefore crucial and timely to have a multinational and multicenter study of the incidence of CHD in the Arab world. Creation of cross the Arab world multinational congenital cardiac defects registry program and stratification is essential prerequisite to develop good pediatric cardiac services. Over the last two decades, some Arab countries have already started their pediatric cardiac programs. The author call upon other countries to follow suit and learn from their experiences.