Determinants of congenital anomalies in neonates admitted to public hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia: A Case-Control study

Abstract Background More than 8 million newborns are born with congenital anomalies worldwide, and 3.2 million children are disabled as a result of congenital anomalies. Despite the high prevalence of congenital anomalies in Ethiopia, research on their determinants of congenital anomalies in newborns is limited, particularly in eastern Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based unmatched case-control study of 387 participants (129 cases and 258 controls) born in public hospitals in the Harari region and the Dire Dawa administration was conducted. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and a review of medical records were used to collect data. The determinants of congenital malformations were studied using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine a significant association with a p-value of 0.05. Results According to this study, the most common type of congenital anomaly was nervous system anomalies (84.6%), followed by musculoskeletal system anomalies (16.4%). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, neonates from anemic mothers (AOR: 4.37, 95% CI: 2.48–7.69), maternal alcohol consumption during index pregnancy (AOR: 4.01, 95% CI: 1.88–8.54), rural residence (AOR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.04–2.85), and antenatal care visits (AOR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.22–0.84) were significant predictors of congenital anomalies. Conclusion Maternal anemia, substance use during pregnancy, antenatal care visits, and rural residence were risk factors for congenital anomalies. Reducing the burden of congenital anomalies requires addressing modifiable factors such as maternal anemia, alcohol consumption, chewing Khat, and increasing antenatal care follow-up.