Prevalence of isolated minor congenital anomalies in a regional hospital in Oman

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of isolated minor congenital anomalies in a regional hospital in Oman.

METHODS: We determined the prevalence of isolated minor congenital anomalies in 21988 births during a 10-year period from January 1993 through December 2002 by using data from the hospital-based congenital anomaly register at Nizwa Hospital, Oman.

RESULTS: The total prevalence of congenital anomalies was 37 per 1000 births and that of minor anomalies 12.4 per 1000 births. Hypospadias, talipes deformity and polydactyly were the most common minor anomalies. A nurse or the house resident detected most of the minor anomalies soon after birth during routine neonatal examination.

CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the important contribution of minor congenital anomalies to the total prevalence of congenital anomalies. An accurate estimation of the prevalence rates of isolated minor anomalies should be possible as they are easily identifiable with minimal expertise. Case classification of congenital anomalies is important so that case groups are homogeneous and more comparable.