Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Congenital Abnormalities in Infants Born in Yazd from 2018 to 2021

Abstract

Background: Maternal factors like age, existing medical conditions, and exposure to medications/substances during pregnancy are crucial in the development of congenital anomalies. This study aims to investigate maternal risk factors associated with congenital anomalies in newborns in Yazd from 2018 to 2021. Methods: This particular research entails a cross-sectional descriptive analysis where the data concerning all live births and their respective mothers from the years 2018 to 2021 in the hospitals situated in Yazd were culled from the database of the National Mother and Newborn Health Registration System affiliated with Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Results: Over four years, approximately 122,098 mothers' information was recorded in the mother's information registration system. The outcomes about social factors indicated that 1.3% of mothers with limited educational background and 0.62% of educated mothers had newborns with abnormal conditions. The heightened occurrence of newborns with congenital anomalies among mothers with lower educational attainment in comparison to their educated counterparts was deemed statistically significant (P < 0.001). Moreover, mothers under the age of 19 exhibited a 1.2% frequency of abnormalities, a rate significantly surpassing that of other age brackets. Conclusion: The discernment that very young mothers and those with limited education exhibit a higher frequency of abnormalities underscores the necessity for enhanced medical attention and awareness within these specific demographic segments. Nevertheless, further comprehensive inquiries regarding risk factors among mothers and high-risk cohorts are imperative.