PREDICTORS OF CONGENITAL ANOMALIES AMONG NEWBORNS IN ARSI ZONE PUBLIC HOSPITALS, SOUTHEAST ETHIOPIA: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Congenital anomalies can be described as congenital malformations or birth defects is a partial or complete structural and/or functional defects during intrauterine life and may be observed at birth or later in life. Congenital anomalies can be happened at the level of each organ or organ system. Broadly, this may happen due to genetic and/or environmental factors. Globally, major congenital anomalies account for 6% of all newborns among which about 94% of these defects occur in the developing countries. In spite of this fact and regional incident variation, very limited studies are reported in Ethiopia and hardly any study in Arsi Zone. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the predictors of congenital anomalies among new born in Arsi Zone Public Hospitals, Southeast Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional based case control study design was conducted among new born in Arsi Zone Public Hospitals from December, 2019 to May, 2020. In the study, 418 (105 cases and 313 controls) participants were included using systematic random sampling procedures. The data were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaires and entered into Epi-data and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. In order to identify the effects of confounding factors, Binary logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis were utilized. Results: In the present study, women who have been drinking alcohol during current pregnancy were 3.48 times more prone to give birth to infants with congenital anomalies than their counterparts (AOR=3.48;95%CI: 1.38, 8.74). Likewise, the likelihood of giving birth to infants with congenital anomalies were six times and five times more for women who had maternal illness(AOR=6.10;95%CI: 2.39, 15.57) and chewing khat during pregnancy(AOR=4;95%CI: 1.49, 10.65) respectively. Women who have been exposed to chemicals like pesticides during pregnancy were 4.76 times more likely to give birth to infants with congenital anomalies compared to those who did not exposed(AOR= 4.76;95%CI: 1.57, 14.47). On the contrary, lack of folic acid supplementation (AOR= 3.25; 95%CI: 1.6, 6.61) had a protective effect towards congenital anomalies. Conclusion: In the present study alcohol drinking, maternal illness, khat chewing, and chemical exposure during pregnancy had a significant association with the occurrence of congenital anomalies. while, folic acid supplementation had a protective effect. Health experts and community should take these factors into consideration and act on them accordingly. Keywords: Congenital anomalies, predictors, Folic acid, Predictors