Perinatal Outcome of Obvious Congenital Malformation as seen at the Lagos Univer sity Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

A retrospective review of major congenital malformations in 353 newborns delivered at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital during a 10-year period (1981-1990), has revealed an overall incidence of 15.8 per 1000 total births, while the contribution of such malformations to perinatal mortality was 11.9 per cent. Gastrointestinal, central nervous and musculo-skeletal system malforma tions were the commonest seen with individual incidences of 3.9, 3.5 and 2.1 per 1000 total births, respectively. Unclassified congenital malformations had the highest case fatality while central nervous system malformations constituted the commonest cause of death among the malformed neonates. The pattern and incidence of congenital malformations at the hospital would appear to have remained substantially unchanged in the last three decades.