All issues > Volume 18(5); 1975

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1975;18(5):367-375. Published online May 31, 1975.

Studies on Congenital Malformation among 11,653 Deliveries in Korea

Min Ahn¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Modern medical science has been developed rapidly in the past century, but congenital anomalies are one of the major medical and social problems. Physicians have been trying to exclude possible factors of congenital malformations by better antenatal care. Congenital malformations are known as a major cause of neonatal death. However, the general incidence of congenital anomalies is still not known in Korea. In 1954, McIntosh reported the incidence of congenital malformations among 5,739 deliveries was 7. 5 percent. In 1964, Marden found 2. 0 percent of the babies had major defects and 14. 7 per -cent had at least one .minor anomaly. This survey was conducted in an effort to know the general incidence of congenital malformations in Korea. During the period of 3 years, from Jan. 1, 1970 until Dec. 31, 1972 11, 653 deliveries at Severance Hospital, Won-Ju Union Christian Hospital, and Jean Ju Presbyterian Hospital were studied. The infants were examined on the first, second third hospital day. Over a period of 6 months, the infants were followed up at out patient clinic and will baby clinic. As a diagnostic procedure, inspection, palpation, auscultation，radiologic study, chromosome study, and autopsy were performed. The results of these observations were as follows: 1.The incidence of congenital malformations among 11,653 deliveries was 6.8 percent. The incidence (8.4%) :of malformed babies among 6,090 male deliveries was almost twice those of 5, 563 female deliveries (5. 0%). Among 793 maiformed babies, 65 percent were males and 35 per cent were females. 2.9.1 per cent of infant weighing 2, 50.0 gm or less showed defects .compared with 6. 5 per cent of those weighing over 2, 500 gm. 3.Maternal age and birth order did not show any correlation with the incidence of congenital malformation. 4.Of 793 malformed babies, 12.1 per cent had more than one malformation. Among 907 malformations, 277 malformations(30. 5%) were in the gastrointestinal system, 171 malformations (18.9%) in the urogenital system and 135 malformations (14.8%) in the skin. Malformations of the gastrointestinal system and the urogenital system were more frequent than those of other systems. 5.Among 11,653 deliveries, 320 babies (2.7%) had major malformations and 473 babies (4.1%) had minor malformations. 6. 88 babies (11.1%) among 703 malformed babies died. 7.A total of 11,109 babies lived over 4 weeks and of these 714 (6.4%) were malformed. A total of 288 babies died within 4 and of these 71(24.7%) were malformed, of these 71 babies 40 (13.9%) died due to the congenital malformation itself. A total of 286 babies died in utero and of these 17 (5.90 were malformed.

Keywords :