Congenital malformation is defined
as a physical defect present at birth. It is the second greatest cause of early
neonatal death among babies with low birth weight (Bulter and Bonham, 1993). The occurrence varies greatly from race
to race, region to region (Sadler, 1998) and its cause had been linked with
various factors including genetic influence and environmental conditions like
disease, radiation, drugs and nutritional deficiencies (Sadler, 1990; Peter et
al, 1997).
Malformation may present immediately
the child is born or manifested during infants, post-natal or during childhood
(Rodink et al., 2001). Most congenital malformations are spontaneously aborted
(Sever et al., 2001; Albaman et al., 1999; Boue and Boue, 1997).
It is a common knowledge that in
prehistoric times, children born with congenital malformations were regarded as
monsters or evil beings. There arrivals were often taking as a sign of an
ill-omen and their parents were made to pass through untold punishment as a
measure of cleansing them (Prives et al.,
1985).
A school of thought, the Hippocratic School described the occurrence of major
and minor malformations like hydrocephalus denying the magical and divinations
aspects of teratology and ascribing monsters to natural causes. As postulated
by Aristotle and members of the Hippocratic
School, this view was not
reawakened until the time of Harvey Wolf Van Haller and the Hunders who along
with their contemporaries initiated the theory of embryonic arrest to explain
malformations. Then Sam Hikares Experiment on developing chick Embryo,
consolidated sequence of teratology (Pter et
al., 1998).
The first Human anomaly to be
identified as genetic was Alkaptonuria (Garrod, 1902) a raer condition in wish
urine darkens on standing. It is an autosomal recessive disorder due to the
deficiency of Homogentisic acid oxidas. 2-3% of all babies born have at least
one major congenital anomaly present at birth is an opinion held by (Collins
and Billeth, 1995).
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
Incidence of congenital malformation
varies with the type of defects and the geographic areas, presumably due to
variability in environmental conditions existing in different locations. Cleft
lip and palate occurs seven in every one thousand births in Abakaliki area
(Nigerian fertility survey, 1981). Cultural practices as in the case of
consanguineous marriages increases the risk of genetic abnormalities
(Wikipedia, 2005).