Spectrum and Maternal Determinants of Fetal Congenital Anomalies: A Hospital-Based Observational Cross-Sectional Study from Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background: Perinatal deaths and infant complications in Bangladesh stem from congenital birth defects which act as major contributors to infant and fetal health problems. The local population lacks sufficient research about maternal factors which cause fetal birth defects despite having modern prenatal diagnostic tools. The research studied which fetal congenital anomalies and maternal characteristics appeared in pregnant women who received their medical care at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A hospital-based observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the Feto-Maternal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, from March 2024 to March 2025. Pregnant women aged 20–40 years with fetal anomalies confirmed by medical tests or ultrasound examinations were included in the study. Data were collected using three methods: structured questionnaires, clinical assessments, and diagnostic reports. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26.0 to examine maternal factors associated with different types of anomalies through chi-square tests. Results: The study included 55% of participants who came from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The study found that most participants belonged to the 20–30 age range while this demographic showed a significant increase in fetal anomalies at a statistical level below 0.05. Central nervous system anomalies were the most prevalent (30.4%), followed by multiple congenital anomalies (19.9%) and renal system anomalies (18.3%). The most common maternal condition which affected patients occurred at a rate of 9.9% as gestational diabetes. Genetic testing identified Trisomy 21 in two cases, a pathogenic 5q11.2q23.1 duplication in one case, and clinically relevant variants in the GHRHR and WDR37 genes Conclusion: Central nervous system defects were the most common birth anomalies and were mainly observed among infants from lower-income families. The three main factors which affected birth outcomes included maternal health status and family economic level and insufficient prenatal medical tests. Prevention of congenital anomalies in Bangladesh depends on enhanced early maternal care, adequate nutritional support, and improved genetic diagnostic facilities.