# A Silent Epidemic of Congenital Anomalies and Its Predictors Among Newborns in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

## TL;DR

This study finds a high rate of birth defects in Ethiopia and identifies risk factors like maternal age, smoking, and lack of education.

## Contribution

The study provides a pooled prevalence estimate and identifies multiple predictors of congenital anomalies in Ethiopian newborns.

## Key findings

- The pooled prevalence of congenital anomalies is 21.25 per 1,000 newborns in Ethiopia.
- Maternal factors like age over 35, smoking, and lack of education significantly increase risk.
- Low birth weight and preterm births are strongly associated with congenital anomalies.

## Abstract

This review was conducted with the aim of assessing the pooled prevalence of congenital anomalies and its predictors among newborns in Ethiopia.

The relevant studies were identified by electronic database searching methods. All statistical analyses were carried out with STATA™ Version-14 software.

A total of 22 studies were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of congenital anomalies was 21.25 per 1,000 newborns. Age of the mother 35 years and above (POR = 3.29, 95% CI: 1.59–6.82) absence of formal education among mothers (POR = 1.35, 95% CI:1.12–1.63), maternal cigarate smoking (POR = 2.98, 95% CI:1.56–5.67), alcoholic drinking (POR = 2.66, 95% CI:1.28–5.51), chat chewing (POR = 3.37, 95% CI:1.57–7.21), no folic acid supplementation (POR = 4.29, 95% CI:2.35–7.83), pesticide exposure (POR = 3.23, 95% CI: 2.02–5.16), medication use during pregnancy (POR = 4.37, 95% CI:2.11–9.06), maternal chronic illness (POR = 3.76, 95% CI:1.72–8.20), preterm (POR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.59–3.47), multiple pregnancy (POR = 3.66, 95% CI:1.99–6.71), low birth weight (POR = 5.46, 95% CI: 4.41–6.75) were identified as the predictors of congenital anomalies among newborns in Ethiopia.

Relatively high burden of congenital anomalies were detected. Hence, strategies to minimize substance use, exposure to pesticide and medication, and to improve folic acid supplementation during pregnancy should be encouraged.