Maternal Characteristics Associated With Congenital Anomalies: An Exploratory Case Series in a Secondary Care Hospital

Background Congenital anomalies are a public health concern and the leading cause of infant mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Established risk factors include pregestational diabetes, maternal obesity, folic acid deficiency, and limited access to prenatal care. The aim of this exploratory study was to describe maternal characteristics in relation to isolated and multiple non-syndromic congenital anomalies in a series of cases from a secondary-care hospital in Puebla, Mexico. Materials and methods An observational, cross-sectional, exploratory case series with ambispective data collection was conducted in the Genetics Department of General Hospital Zone No. 20 of the Mexican Social Security Institute in Puebla, Mexico. The study included 31 mothers of patients with non-syndromic congenital anomalies. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and environmental exposures. Congenital anomalies were categorized as isolated or multiple. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher's exact test and continuous variables using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results A total of 31 mothers of patients with congenital anomalies were analyzed. Twenty-one (67.7%) cases presented isolated anomalies, and 10 (32.3%) multiple anomalies, with craniofacial anomalies being the most frequent. The mean maternal age at the time of pregnancy was 27.71 ± 5.58 years. Higher frequencies were observed among mothers with higher educational attainment, employment, and exposure to teratogens; however, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion In this exploratory case series, no statistically significant differences were found between maternal characteristics and the presence of isolated or multiple congenital anomalies. Observed differences should be interpreted in the context of the study design and limited sample size, and these findings are hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in larger, controlled studies.