Congenital Fetal Anomalies : Clinical View

Congenital anomalies can be defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine life. Also called birth defects, congenital disorders, or congenital malformations, these conditions develop prenatally and may be identified before or at birth, or later in life. An estimated 6% of babies worldwide are born with a congenital anomaly, resulting in hundreds of thousands of associated deaths. However, the true number of cases may be much higher because statistics do not often consider terminated pregnancies and stillbirths. Some congenital anomalies can be treated with surgical and non-surgical options, such as cleft lip and palate, clubfoot, and hernias. Others, including heart defects, neural tube defects, and down syndrome, can cause lifelong impacts.

Congenital anomalies are one of the main causes of the global burden of disease, and low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. These areas are also less likely to have facilities to treat reversible conditions such as clubfoot, leading to more pronounced and long-lasting effects.