Preventing Congenital Anomalies in Developing Countries

Abstract

The birth prevalence of congenital anomalies in developing countries is similar to that observed in developed countries. However, the health impact of birth defects is higher because of a lack of adequate services for the care of affected infants and a higher rate of exposures to infections and malnutrition. A number of successful measures for the prevention of congenital anomalies are being taken in a number of developing nations. Primary prevention programs are based on public education about preconceptional and prenatal risks. Prevention based on reproduction options includes teratogen information services and prenatal screening for fetal anomalies. In addition, programs for the detection of congenital malformations at birth, followed by early treatment, are contributing to secondary prevention. Prevention of congenital anomalies in the developing world requires: (a) good epidemiological data on the prevalence and types of birth defects and genetic disorders; (b) educating health professionals in the goals and methods of preventing birth defects at low cost but with high impact, and (c) expansion of family planning and improvement of antenatal care combined with educational campaigns to avoid the risks for birth defects. The basis for public health preventive measures should be the primary health care level. In a sizable proportion of developing countries, the stage is already set for these measures to be implemented. Required are education, political will, and proper organization and allocation of resources.

Birth Defects: A Review on Global Action Plans on Maternal and Child Health Care

“…Community genetics services include activities for the diagnosis, care and prevention of birth defects and genetic diseases at the community level [27][28][29] that would help to maximize the chances for having healthy and normal babies. The activities include the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of birth defects and genetic diseases (cytogenetic analyses, DNA testing, biochemical assays and others), pre-conception care, prenatal screening, prenatal and pre-implantation genetic diagnoses, carrier and newborn screening, genetics counseling and population genetic screening.…”

Diagnóstico prenatal de anomalías congénitas; una política ausente en Colombia

“…Cuba y China por ejemplo son pioneros en el uso rutinario de ultrasonido fetal avanzado como uno de dos elementos sumado a marcadores bioquímicos de un esquema de diagnóstico fetal de anomalías congénitas lo cual ha aumentado sus tasas de detección en un 50% (49). …”

Folate and Prevention of Neural Tube Disease

“…Though possible for women to increase their consumption of dietary folates by careful selection of foods, but food folates are about half as bioavailable as synthetic folic acid (Gregory, 1997). The United States Public Health Service recommended that women capable of becoming pregnant should consume 400 ug of folic acid daily (CDC, 1992;Cornel & Erickson, 1997;Penchaszadeh, 2002). The only viable and sustainable preventive strategy for this is fortification of food with folic acid.…”

“…NTDs are multifactorial as are believed to reflect a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental influences (Penchaszadeh, 2002). It may be the result of genetic abnormalities, the intrauterine environment, morphogenesis errors, or a chromosomal abnormality.…”

“…It may be the result of genetic abnormalities, the intrauterine environment, morphogenesis errors, or a chromosomal abnormality. The wide geographic variations in incidence suggest the prime role of importance of intra uterine environmental factors (Penchaszadeh, 2002). Neural tube defects indeed are particularly prevalent in China (Xiao et al, 1990), Mexico (Mutchinik, 1988), Central America (Saborio, 1992) and Chile (Nazer et al, 2001).…”