Congenital malformations continue to be a problem
to researchers and expectant mothers. This research work revealed among others
a high Incidence of low birth babies.
Low
birth weight may be considered as congenital malformation caused by
environmental factors and nutritional status of pregnant mothers. (Ibrahim,
1985) states, low birth weight though associated with under aged mothers and
repeated pregnancy is mainly a consequence of malnutrition in babies whose
mother nutritional level was low. This puts malnutrition as being the single
most contributing factor that is not teratogenic to congenital malformations.
Due to a hard economy and lack of money, people can hardly afford balanced
diets.
An eating style of eating freshly prepared food
only in the evenings and eating the left over in the morning suggest that many
nutrients such as amino acids required for DNA processes are lacking.
Women
are often forbidden from eating certain parts of eggs and meat with the belief
that eating eggs during pregnancy will make the woman put to a steal birth.
Many factors could be used to explain
the rise in the incident of malformations in children. This can be classified
into Social and Biological factors.
Socially: most pregnant mothers are
illiterates when they are pregnant, they do not make use of ANTI-NATAL and POST
NATAL clinics. The negligence of this medical care can cause a lot of
malformations to the child. Illiteracy leads to early marriage among the
teenagers, as the teenage girls are not yet or fully developed within their
pelvic region. (Ibrahim, 1981)
Most pregnant mothers do take drugs
without doctor’s prescription; they are ignorant of the outcome. Pregnant women
are more exposed to several teratogenic effects during this stage. Turn Bull
(1993)
Notable
among this drugs include Thalidomide, which is characterized by deformities of
the limb, a condition known as phocomelia. Other drugs include Anticonvulsant
and Hypnotic drugs. (Lenz, 2002; Soners, 2002; Weicker and Hunger land, 2002).
Smoking and alcoholic drinks can also
cause malformation and there is an increase rate of second trimester
spontaneous abortion with women who takes alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drink can
cause reproductive and sexual dysfunction in male and infertility in females
Smith and Ach (1987)
Alcohol ingestion during pregnancy produces
the fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (FAS) This is characterized with facial
neurological perturbations which is associated with mothers only. (Hills and
Tennyson, 1986)
Biological factors include malformations:
Common practice like trekking long distance to farms and other villages may be
responsible for many physical defects observed in newborn of these areas.
Engagement in farming by pregnant women contributes to physical malformation by
the contraction of the uterine walls, even though it may act as an exercise.
(Chamberlain and Turnbull, 1993)
Infections, under Biological factors can
also cause malformations. This can come from unsafe drinking water and unsafe
life style. (Chamberlain and Turnbull 1993) Reported that virus that colonize
the female genital tract, crosses over to the placenta to infect the still
immune deficient fetus.
CONCLUSION
The method of keeping records in the
various Hospitals is how ever questionable and the attitudes of the staff
towards preservation and safe keeping of records is unethical.
There should be a body dedicated to
monitoring and safe guarding the records obtained.
There
should be properly trained personnel’s to educate pregnant mothers on the way
forward to preventing Malformations.
RELATED INFORMATION
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS OF CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS
GENETIC FACTORS OF THE INCIDENCE OF CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS ON THE FACE AN HEAD OF NEW BORN BABIES
AETIOLOGY AND CONSEQUENCES OF CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS
LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE INCIDENCE OF CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS ON THE FACE AN HEAD OF NEW BORN BABIES
AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF STUDYING THE INCIDENCE OF CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS ON THE FACE AN HEAD OF NEW BORN BABIES
RELATED INFORMATION