Freqüência das malformações múltiplas em recém-nascidos na Cidade de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, e fatores sócio-demográficos associados Frequency of multiple neonatal malformations in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and associated socio-demographic factors

Abstract This study aimed to estimate the frequency andto correlate the possible causal agents and mon-itor the occurrence of multiple neonatal malfor-mations in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.The study included all births from 1990 to 2002in the local maternity hospitals with birthweight > 500g. Each newborn presenting a mal-formation (case) was assigned a live matchedneonate (control) without any malformationand of the same sex. A database was establishedby filling out the ECLAMC – MONITOR forms,1982 edition, tabulated with SPSS. Statisticalanalysis used Student t and χ 2 . During the studyperiod, 71,500 children were born, of whom0.11% presented multiple malformations. Sig-nificant results were found for birth weight,twin births, parents’ ethnic background, pater-nal age, and number of previous abortions andstillbirths. In Pelotas, the proportion of new-borns with malformations during the study pe-riod was 1.37%. Of these, 8.1% presented multi-ple malformations, predominantly in femalesand in births occurring during the winter.Abnormalities; Risk Factors; Infant Newborn