Congenital Malformations

Congenital malformations are anatomic or structural abnormalities present at birth(see Chapter 7). They are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. In 2000, congenital anomalies ac­counted for 20.5% of infant deaths, including 22% of neonatal deaths and 17.3% of infant deaths beyond the neonatal period.³,⁴ Anomalies of the cardiovascular system and CNS account for most deaths due to congenital anom­alies.³ Some stages of embryonic development are more at risk than others for development of congenital malforma­tions after teratogen exposure. The causes of congenital malformations may be classified as genetic, environmen­tal, or multifactorial.