A Study of Clinical Profile of Birth Defects Seen at the Obstetrics Unit of Rural Medical College in Uttar Pradesh

Background: Many babies in India suffer from congenital malformations, which pose a serious public health risk.We aimed to evaluate the clinical and demographic risk factors associated with the spectrum of congenital anomalies in live births, stillbirths, or aborted fetuses at the rural medical college in Uttar Pradesh.Materials and methods: A 1-year hospital-based case-control study was conducted at a teaching hospital in Fatehpur on 208 subjects (41 cases and 167 controls).Cases and controls were matched by maternal age and gestational age at the time of birth.Results: The incidence of birth defects was 12.38 per 1,000 live births.The incidence of birth defects among the stillbirth cases was 6.3%.The average age of mothers in the case group was 27.6 years, compared to 26.9 years in the control group.The case group had a higher proportion of illiterate mothers (58.5%) and laborers (46.3%), as well as a lower proportion of housewives (7.3%) and individuals from a high socio-economic class (73.2%) compared to the control group.Additionally, the case group exhibited a higher proportion of cesarean deliveries (39.0%) compared to the control group (22.2%), with a slightly higher proportion of males in both groups.Central nervous system birth defects (43.9%) were the most common, followed by defects of the musculoskeletal system (21.9%).Significant risk factors include radiation exposure (AOR = 3.835, p = 0.094, borderline significant) and periconception intake of unprescribed medication (AOR = 5.179, p < 0.01).Significant protective factors include antenatal folic acid during pregnancy (AOR = 0.054, p < 0.01). Conclusion:In our analysis, congenital birth defects related to the central nervous system were the most prevalent, despite being largely preventable.Folic acid supplementation is an effective strategy for reducing congenital anomalies.Avoiding radiation exposure and intake of unprescribed medication may help reduce the risk of congenital anomalies.