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Objectives: We aim to delineate the digestive congenital abnormalities burden in children under 14 years old between 1990 and 2021., Design: We implemented data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database to evaluate digestive congenital abnormalities burden with different measures in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We present precise estimations with 95% uncertainty intervals. In addition, we computed the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) to examine the temporal patterns of these indicators., Setting: It uses prevalence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) data from the GBD study to analyse this issue., Participants: Patients with digestive congenital abnormalities diagnosis., Outcomes: Total numbers, age-standardised rates (ASRs) of prevalence, mortality and DALYs and their EAPCs were the main outcomes among children aged 0-14 years., Results: In 2021, 2206.79 thousand prevalent cases were reported worldwide, with digestive congenital anomalies accounting for 47.16 thousand deaths and 4324.56 thousand DALYs among children aged 0-14 years. Digestive congenital anomalies prevalence was mitigated by 8.15% between 1990 and 2021, with the global ASR of prevalence declining to 40.09 per 100 000. Digestive congenital anomalies mortality was mitigated by 35.35% between 1990 and 2021, with an ASR of deaths declining to 0.77 per 100 000. The worldwide burden of digestive congenital anomalies decreased by 34.96% in terms of DALYs from 1990 to 2021, with an ASR of 70.44 DALYs per 100 000 population. There was a significant hindrance in the prevalence, particularly among older children. The likelihood of digestive congenital abnormalities peaked during infancy (2-4 years) in all regions., Conclusion: We highlight promising global declines in the digestive congenital anomalies burden among children over the past 32 years. Prevalence, deaths and DALYs associated with these anomalies have shown consistent decreases, although regional variations persist. These findings offer crucial insights for shaping effective prevention and management strategies for paediatric digestive congenital anomalies., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Background: Globally, 240,000 babies die in the neonatal period annually due to congenital anomalies (CA). Malta reports the highest neonatal mortality rate (NMR) among EU (European Union) Countries, constituting a public health concern., Objectives: This study describes the contribution of CA to NMR in Malta, investigating possible associations with known maternal risk factors of maternal age, nationality, and education. Additionally, it provides an update on the contribution of CA to neonatal deaths in Malta and other EU countries., Methods: Anonymous data for births and neonatal deaths were obtained for 2006-2020 from the National Obstetrics Information System (NOIS) in Malta. Regression analyses adjusting for maternal risk factors were run on this data to explore possible associations with NMR. NMRs published by EUROSTAT 2011-2020 were used to compare mortality by underlying cause of death (CA or non-CA causes) for Malta and other EU countries., Results: Between 2006 and 2020, 63,890 live births with 283 neonatal deaths were registered in Malta, (NMR 4.4 per 1000 live births). CA accounted for 39.6% of neonatal deaths. No time trends were observed in either total NMR, NMR attributed to CA or mortality due to non-CA causes. Adjusted variables revealed associations for women hailing from non-EU, low-income countries. Malta registered high NMRs compared to EU countries, most marked for deaths attributed to CA., Conclusions: Between 2006 and 2020, Malta's NMR remained stable. Maternal Nationality, from non-EU low-income countries, was associated with higher neonatal mortality. The influx of such migrants may play a partial role in the high NMRs experienced. Malta's high NMR was primarily driven by early neonatal deaths, which included high proportions of deaths due to CA and is linked to the fact that termination of pregnancy is illegal in Malta., (© 2024 The Author(s). Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Congenital birth defects (CBD) play a significant role in causing child mortality globally. The incidence and mortality of CBD vary widely across countries, and the underlying causes for this divergence remain incompletely comprehended. We conducted an analysis to investigate the relationship between the incidence and mortality of CBD in 189 countries and their Human Development Index (HDI). In this study, CBD data from 189 countries was used from the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2019, and HDI data was collected for the same countries. Later, the relationship between CBD and HDI was analyzed, and the impact of gross national income (GNI) per capita, expected years of schooling, mean years of schooling and life expectancy at birth was quantified using principal component regression. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) varied between 66.57 to 202.24 per 100,000, with a 95% uncertainty interval (UI) of 57.20-77.51 and 165.87-241.48 respectively. The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) also showed a rang from 1.38 to 26.53 (14.03-39.90) per 100,000, with the 95%UI of 0.91-2.09 and 14.03-39.90 respectively. Both the incidence and mortality rates of CBD decreased with the increased HDI (incidence: r = -0.38, p < 0.001, mortality: r = -0.77, p < 0.001). Our investigation revealed significant variations in the incidence and mortality of CBD among countries with different development levels. In conclusion, the global incidence and mortality of CBD vary significantly among countries, possibly due to differences in the accessibility of health services.

Despite the notable gains that have been realized in reversing perinatal, neonatal, and childhood morbidity and mortality, insignificant actions on birth defects undermine the desired outcomes. A yearly upward trend of birth defects (44.04-205.28 per 100,000 livebirths) between 2014 and 2018 attributed to known genetic, unknown multifactorial inheritance, and socio-demographic environmental factors, with an estimated unit economic cost of $ 1,139.73 for outpatient services was observed in Kiambu County, Kenya. Thus, interventions anchored on social health insurance would suffice., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright: George Nyadimo Agot et al.)

To describe the fetal death rate of birth defects (including a broad range of specific defects) and to explore the relationship between fetal deaths from birth defects and a broad range of demographic characteristics. Data was derived from the birth defects surveillance system in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Fetal death refers to the intrauterine death of a fetus at any time during the pregnancy, including medical termination of pregnancy. Fetal death rate is the number of fetal deaths per 100 births (including live births and fetal deaths) in a specified group (unit: %). The fetal death rate of birth defects with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated by the log-binomial method. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the relationship between each demographic characteristic and fetal deaths from birth defects. This study included 847,755 births, and 23,420 birth defects were identified. A total of 11,955 fetal deaths from birth defects were identified, with a fetal death rate of 51.05% (95% CI 50.13-51.96). 15.78% (1887 cases) of fetal deaths from birth defects were at a gestational age of < 20 weeks, 59.05% (7059 cases) were at a gestational age of 20-27 weeks, and 25.17% (3009 cases) were at a gestational age of ≥ 28 weeks. Fetal death rate of birth defects was higher in females than in males (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.18-1.32), in rural than in urban areas (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.36-1.50), in maternal age 20-24 years (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.25-1.47), and ≥ 35 years (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.11-1.29) compared to maternal age of 25-29 years, in diagnosed by chromosomal analysis than ultrasound (OR = 6.24, 95% CI 5.15-7.55), and lower in multiple births than in singletons (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.36-0.47). The fetal death rate of birth defects increased with the number of previous pregnancies (χ 2 trend  = 49.28, P < 0.01), and decreased with the number of previous deliveries (χ 2 trend  = 4318.91, P < 0.01). Many fetal deaths were associated with birth defects. We found several demographic characteristics associated with fetal deaths from birth defects, which may be related to the severity of the birth defects, economic and medical conditions, and parental attitudes toward birth defects., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To define major congenital anomaly (CA) subgroups and assess outcome variability based on defined subgroups., Study Design: This population-based cohort study used registries in Denmark for children born with a major CA between January 1997 and December 2016, with follow-up until December 2018. We performed a latent class analysis (LCA) using child and family clinical and sociodemographic characteristics present at birth, incorporating additional variables occurring until age of 24 months. Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of pediatric mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions for identified LCA classes., Results: The study included 27 192 children born with a major CA. Twelve variables led to a 4-class solution (entropy = 0.74): (1) children born with higher income and fewer comorbidities (55.4%), (2) children born to young mothers with lower income (24.8%), (3) children born prematurely (10.0%), and (4) children with multiorgan involvement and developmental disability (9.8%). Compared with those in Class 1, mortality and ICU admissions were highest in Class 4 (HR = 8.9, 95% CI = 6.4-12.6 and HR = 4.1, 95% CI = 3.6-4.7, respectively). More modest increases were observed among the other classes for mortality and ICU admissions (Class 2: HR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.5 and HR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.4, respectively; Class 3: HR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.5-4.2 and HR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.3-1.9, respectively)., Conclusions: Children with a major CA can be categorized into meaningful subgroups with good discriminative ability. These groupings may be useful for risk-stratification in outcome studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To describe the prevalence and death rate of birth defects from population-based surveillance in Hunan Province, China. Data were obtained from the population-based Birth Defects Surveillance System in Hunan Province, China (2010-2020). The surveillance population included all live births, stillbirths, infant deaths, and legal terminations of pregnancy from 28 weeks of gestation to 42 days after birth between 2010 and 2020 when the mother resided in the surveillance area (Liuyang County and Shifeng District, Hunan Province). The prevalence of birth defects is the number of birth defects per 1000 infants (‰). The death rate of birth defects is the number of deaths attributable to birth defects per 100 birth defects (%). The prevalence and death rate with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by the log-binomial method. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the association of each demographic characteristic with birth defects. Our study included 228,444 infants, and 4453 birth defects were identified, with a prevalence of 19.49‰ (95%CI 18.92-20.07). Congenital heart defects were the most common specific defects (5.29‰), followed by limb defects (4.01‰). Birth defects were more common in males than females (22.34‰ vs. 16.26‰, OR = 1.38, 95%CI 1.30-1.47), in premature birth than not (91.82‰ vs. 16.14‰, OR = 6.16, 95%CI 5.72-6.65), in birth weight < 2500 g (98.26‰ vs. 16.22‰, OR = 6.61, 95%CI 6.11-7.15) or > 4000 g (19.48‰ vs. 16.22‰, OR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.03-1.42) than birth weight 2500-4000 g, in hospitalized deliveries than other institutions (22.16‰ vs. 11.74‰, OR = 1.91, 95%CI 1.76-2.07), in multiple births than singletons (28.50‰ vs. 19.28‰, OR = 1.49, 95%CI 1.27-1.76), in maternal age < 20 years (26.33‰ vs. 18.69‰, OR = 1.42, 95%CI 1.15-1.76) or >  = 35 years (24.31‰ vs. 18.69‰, OR = 1.31, 95%CI 1.18-1.45) than maternal age 25-29 years, and in number of pregnancies >  = 4 (22.91‰ vs. 18.92‰, OR = 1.22, 95%CI 1.10-1.35) than the first pregnancy. A total of 747 deaths attributable to birth defects were identified, including 603 (80.72%) stillbirths, 75 (10.04%) deaths within 7 days after birth, 46 (6.16%) deaths in 7-27 days after birth, 23 (3.08%) deaths in 28-42 days after birth. The death rate of birth defects was 16.78% (95%CI 15.57-17.98). Deaths attributable to birth defects accounted for 51.09% (747/1462) of all deaths. Central nervous system defects had the highest death rate (90.27%), and neonatal genetic metabolic defects had the lowest death rate (0.39%). In summary, we have described the prevalence and epidemiology of birth defects from population-based surveillance in Hunan Province, China, 2010-2020. There were differences in the prevalence and death rate of birth defects between population-based surveillance and hospital-based surveillance., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: As one of the leading causes of child mortality, deaths due to congenital anomalies (CAs) have been a prominent obstacle to meet Sustainable Development Goal 3.2., Objective: We conducted this study to understand the death burden and trend of under-5 CA mortality (CAMR) in Zhejiang, one of the provinces with the best medical services and public health foundations in Eastern China., Methods: We used data retrieved from the under-5 mortality surveillance system in Zhejiang from 2012 to 2021. CAMR by sex, residence, and age group for each year was calculated and standardized according to 2020 National Population Census sex- and residence-specific live birth data in China. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the annual average change rate (AACR) of CAMR and to obtain the rate ratio between subgroups after adjusting for sex, residence, and age group when appropriate., Results: From 2012 to 2021, a total of 1753 children died from CAs, and the standardized CAMR declined from 121.2 to 62.6 per 100,000 live births with an AACR of -9% (95% CI -10.7% to -7.2%; P<.001). The declining trend was also observed in female and male children, urban and rural children, and neonates and older infants, and the AACRs were -9.7%, -8.5%, -8.5%, -9.2%, -12%, and -6.3%, respectively (all P<.001). However, no significant reduction was observed in children aged 1-4 years (P=.22). Generally, the CAMR rate ratios for male versus female children, rural versus urban children, older infants versus neonates, and older children versus neonates were 1.18 (95% CI 1.08-1.30; P<.001), 1.20 (95% CI 1.08-1.32; P=.001), 0.66 (95% CI 0.59-0.73; P<.001), and 0.20 (95% CI 0.17-0.24; P<.001), respectively. Among all broad CA groups, circulatory system malformations, mainly deaths caused by congenital heart diseases, accounted for 49.4% (866/1753) of deaths and ranked first across all years, although it declined yearly with an AACR of -9.8% (P<.001). Deaths due to chromosomal abnormalities tended to grow in recent years, although the AACR was not significant (P=.90)., Conclusions: CAMR reduced annually, with cardiovascular malformations ranking first across all years in Zhejiang, China. Future research and practices should focus more on the prevention, early detection, long-term management of CAs and comprehensive support for families with children with CAs to improve their survival chances., (©Wen-Hong Dong, Jun-Xia Guo, Lei Wang, Shuang-Shuang Zheng, Bing-Quan Zhu, Jie Shao. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 03.06.2024.)

Objectives: To compare 5-year survival rate and morbidity in children with spina bifida, transposition of great arteries (TGA), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) or gastroschisis diagnosed prenatally with those diagnosed postnatally., Methods: Population-based registers' data were linked to hospital and mortality databases., Results: Children whose anomaly was diagnosed prenatally (n = 1088) had a lower mean gestational age than those diagnosed postnatally (n = 1698) ranging from 8 days for CDH to 4 days for TGA. Children with CDH had the highest infant mortality rate with a significant difference (p < 0.001) between those prenatally (359/1,000 births) and postnatally (116/1,000) diagnosed. For all four anomalies, the median length of hospital stay was significantly greater in children with a prenatal diagnosis than those postnatally diagnosed. Children with prenatally diagnosed spina bifida (79% vs 60%; p = 0.002) were more likely to have surgery in the first week of life, with an indication that this also occurred in children with CDH (79% vs 69%; p = 0.06)., Conclusions: Our findings do not show improved outcomes for prenatally diagnosed infants. For conditions where prenatal diagnoses were associated with greater mortality and morbidity, the findings might be attributed to increased detection of more severe anomalies. The increased mortality and morbidity in those diagnosed prenatally may be related to the lower mean gestational age (GA) at birth, leading to insufficient surfactant for respiratory effort. This is especially important for these four groups of children as they have to undergo anaesthesia and surgery shortly after birth. Appropriate prenatal counselling about the time and mode of delivery is needed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Most neonatal deaths in industrialized countries follow a process of redirection of care. The objectives of this study were to describe how neonates die in a middle-income country, whether there was redirection of care, and the reason for this decision., Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study. Neonates who died in the delivery room or in the neonatal intensive care unit in 97 hospitals over a 6-month period were included. After each neonatal death, one investigator interviewed a member of the healthcare team who had been involved in the end-of-life care process. Perinatal data, conditions that led to death, whether there was redirection of care, and details of the end-of-life process were recorded., Results: Data from 697 neonatal deaths were analyzed, which represent 80% of the total deaths occurring in Argentina in that period. The main causes of death were complications of prematurity (47%) and congenital anomalies (27%). Overall, 32% of neonates died after a process of redirection of care, and this was less frequent in the neonatal intensive care unit (28%) than in the delivery room (70%, p < 0.001). The reasons for withholding/withdrawing care were inevitable death (75%) and severe compromise of expected quality of life (25%). Redirection of care consisted in withholding therapies in 66% and withdrawal in 34%. A diagnosis of a major congenital anomaly increased the odds of redirection of care (OR 5.45; 95% CI: 3.59-8.27)., Conclusion: Most neonates who die in Argentina do so while receiving full support. Redirection of care mainly follows a condition of inevitable death., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objectives: To examine the potential for bias in the estimate of under-5 mortality due to birth defects recently produced by the WHO and the Maternal and Child Epidemiology Estimation research group., Design: Systematic analysis., Methods: We examined the estimated number of under-5 deaths due to birth defects, the birth defect specific under-5 mortality rate, and the per cent of under-5 mortality due to birth defects, by geographic region, national income and under-5 mortality rate for three age groups from 2000 to 2019., Results: The under-5 deaths per 1000 live births from birth defects fell from 3.4 (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 3.1-3.8) in 2000 to 2.9 (UI 2.6-3.3) in 2019. The per cent of all under-5 mortality attributable to birth defects increased from 4.6% (UI 4.1%-5.1%) in 2000 to 7.6% (UI 6.9%-8.6%) in 2019. There is significant variability in mortality due to birth defects by national income level. In 2019, the under-5 mortality rate due to birth defects was less in high-income countries than in low-income and middle-income countries, 1.3 (UI 1.2-1.3) and 3.0 (UI 2.8-3.4) per 1000 live births, respectively. These mortality rates correspond to 27.7% (UI 26.6%-28.8%) of all under-5 mortality in high-income countries being due to birth defects, and 7.4% (UI 6.7%-8.2%) in low-income and middle-income countries., Conclusions: While the under-5 mortality due to birth defects is declining, the per cent of under-5 mortality attributable to birth defects has increased, with significant variability across regions globally. The estimates in low-income and middle-income countries are likely underestimated due to the nature of the WHO estimates, which are based in part on verbal autopsy studies and should be taken as a minimum estimate. Given these limitations, comprehensive and systematic estimates of the mortality burden due to birth defects are needed to estimate the actual burden., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Laryngeal cleft is a congenital condition in which an opening in the posterior laryngotracheal wall allows food and liquid to pass from the esophageal lumen to the airway and causes aspiration. The severity of a laryngeal cleft is measured using the Benjamin-Inglis system, and can be managed conservatively or with a variety of surgical options With increased awareness, higher suspicion among primary physicians, advanced technology and improved intensive neonatal care services, more babies with laryngeal clefts survive in the modern era. Therefore, the focus has shifted from infant survival to treatment of laryngeal clefts and the challenging, complex medical conditions they create., Objective: To understand current laryngeal cleft management and post-operative outcomes., Methods: Literature review of laryngeal cleft studies from 2010 to 2021., Results: A total of 1033 patients were included. Based on 415 cases for whom sufficient classification data were available, the predominate symptom for patients with type I, III, and IV clefts is swallowing dysfunction, while the predominant symptoms for patients with type II clefts are stridor and aspiration. A wide variety of comorbidities involving several major organs has been reported with laryngeal clefts, which tend to impact clinical outcomes negatively. Approximately 19% of type I clefts have been treated conservatively successfully, but the majority was treated surgically. Most studies that used injection laryngoplasty for type I clefts reported highly successful repairs without complications or delays in additional procedures. Ninety-eight percent all type II clefts were treated with endoscopic repair; 87% of patients with type III clefts received endoscopic repair; and 66% of patients with type IV clefts underwent open surgery. Approximately 62% of resolved cases were reported within 12 months, while 50.87% of failed cases were reported within 6 weeks., Conclusions: There are multiple treatment approaches, each of which may be applicable depending on factors such as laryngeal cleft type, severity of presentation, and comorbidities. Conservative approaches appear to be most useful for type I clefts or in patients with mild symptoms, while surgical management can be considered for any type of laryngeal cleft. The benefit of injection laryngoplasty, endoscopic repair and open surgery can also vary, but injection laryngoplasty and endoscopic repair are used most commonly. Open surgery should be to be considered if patients present with severe cleft types or if it is unsafe to perform other surgical techniques. Familiarity with this literature review should help clinicians understand clinical characteristics, direct medical management, and guide successful resolution of laryngeal clefts., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Global death rate in children has been declining during the last decades worldwide, especially in high income countries. This has been attributed to several factors, including improved prenatal and perinatal care, immunisations, infection management as well as progress in diagnosis and treatment of most diseases. However, there is certainly room for further progress. The aim of the current study was to describe the changes in death rates and causes of death in Iceland, a high-income country during almost half a century., Methods: The Causes of Death Register at The Directorate of Health was used to identify all children under the age of 18 years in Iceland that died during the study period from January 1st, 1971 until December 31st, 2018. Using Icelandic national identification numbers, individuals could be identified for further information. Hospital records, laboratory results and post-mortem diagnosis could be accessed if cause of death was unclear., Findings: Results showed a distinct decrease in death rates in children during the study period that was continuous over the whole period. This was established for almost all causes of death and in all age groups. This reduction was primarily attributed to a decrease in fatal accidents and fewer deaths due to infections, perinatal or congenital disease as well as malignancies, the reduction in death rates from other causes was less distinct. Childhood suicide rates remained constant., Interpretation: Our results are encouraging for further prevention of childhood deaths. In addition, our results emphasise the need to improve measures to detect and treat mental and behavioural disorders leading to childhood suicide., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Neonatal mortality is a major global public health problem. Ethiopia is among seven countries that comprise 50 % of global neonatal mortality. Evidence on neonatal mortality in referred neonates is essential for intervention however, there is no enough information in the study area. Neonates who required referral frequently became unstable and were at a high risk of death. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of mortality among referred neonates., Method: A prospective follow-up study was conducted among 436 referred neonates at comprehensive specialized hospitals in the Amhara regional state, North Ethiopia 2020. All neonates admitted to the selected hospitals that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included. Face-to-face interviews, observations, and document reviews were used to collect data using a semi-structured questionnaire and checklists. Epi-data™ version 4.2 software for data entry and STATA™ 14 version for data cleaning and analysis were used. Variables with a p-value < 0.25 in the bi-variable logistic regression model were selected for multivariable analysis. Multivariable analyses with a 95% confidence level were performed. Variables with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant., Result: Over all incidence of death in this study was 30.6% with 95% confidence interval of (26.34-35.16) per 2 months observation. About 23 (17.83%) deaths were due to sepsis, 32 (24.80%) premature, 40 (31%) perinatal asphyxia, 3(2.33%) congenital malformation and 31(24.03%) deaths were due to other causes. Home delivery [AOR = 2.5, 95% CI (1.63-4.1)], admission weight < 1500 g [AOR =3.2, 95% CI (1.68-6.09)], travel distance ≥120 min [AOR = 3.8, 95% CI (1.65-9.14)], hypothermia [AOR = 2.7, 95% CI (1.44-5.13)], hypoglycemia [AOR = 1.8, 95% CI (1.11-3.00)], oxygen saturation < 90% [AOR = 1.9, 95% (1.34-3.53)] at admission time and neonate age ≤ 1 day at admission [AOR = 3.4, 95% CI (1.23-9.84) were predictors of neonatal death., Conclusion: The incidence of death was high in this study. The acute complications arising during the transfer of referral neonates lead to an increased risk of deterioration of the newborn's health and outcome. Preventing and managing complications during the transportation process is recommended to increase the survival of neonates., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: Higher mortality among full-term infants (term infant deaths) contributes to disparities in infant mortality between the United States and other developed countries. We examined differences in the causes of term infant deaths across county poverty levels and urban-rural classification to understand underlying mechanisms through which these factors may act., Methods: We linked period birth/infant death files for 2012-2015 with US Census poverty estimates and county urban-rural classifications. We grouped the causes of term infant deaths as sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), congenital malformations, perinatal conditions, and all other causes. We computed the distribution and relative risk of overall and cause-specific term infant mortality rates (term IMRs) per 1000 live births and 95% CIs for county-level factors., Results: The increase in term IMR across county poverty and urban-rural classification was mostly driven by an increase in the rate of SUDI. The relative risk of term infant deaths as a result of SUDI was 1.6 (95% CI, 1.5-1.8) times higher in medium-poverty counties and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.2-2.5) times higher in high-poverty counties than in low-poverty counties. Cause-specific IMRs of congenital malformations, perinatal conditions, and death from other causes did not differ by county poverty level. We found similar trends across county urban-rural classification. Sudden infant death syndrome was the main cause of SUDI across both county poverty levels and urban-rural classifications, followed by unknown causes and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed., Conclusions: Interventions aimed at reducing SUDI, particularly in high-poverty and rural areas, could have a major effect on reducing term IMR disparities between the United States and other developed countries.

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality., Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis., Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36-39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3-3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88-4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59-2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04-1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4-5 vs ASA 1-2, 1·82 [1·40-2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1-2, 1·58, [1·30-1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02-1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41-2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05-1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47-0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50-0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48-1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality., Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030., Funding: Wellcome Trust., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests NS is the director of the London Safety and Training Solutions, which offers training in patient safety, implementation solutions, and human factors to health-care organisations. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate if the survival of children with congenital anomalies has improved from 2000 to 2015 and whether there is heterogeneity in the improvements across Europe., Design: Population-based study of routine collected data from the WHO database on mortality and causes., Setting: Data on 31 European countries from 2000 to 2015., Main Outcome Measures: All-cause and congenital anomaly mortality rates for infants and children up to age 9 in countries and regions of Europe., Results: The relative odds of all-cause mortality in 2015 compared with 2000 was 0.54 (95% CI: 0.50-0.59) for under 1, 0.48 (95% CI: 0.44-0.53) for ages 1-4, and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.49-0.56) for ages 5-9 with the relative odds of mortality from congenital anomalies being 0.49 (95% CI: 0.44-0.55), 0.51 (95% CI: 0.44-0.60), and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53-0.80), respectively. The proportion of deaths from congenital anomalies remained relatively constant over time (26, 16, and 9% for under 1, ages 1-4, and ages 5-9, respectively) and was similar in all regions of Europe. For mortality from all causes and from congenital anomalies heterogeneity between countries and regions of Europe was high, with the countries in Eastern Europe having higher rates, but also experiencing greater relative reductions in mortality from 2000 to 2015., Conclusion: There was a large geo-spatial disparity in all cause and congenital anomaly mortality for infants and children up to 9. However, all regions saw a significant decrease in all cause and congenital anomaly mortality rates, with the proportions of deaths from congenital anomalies remaining constant over this time., (© 2021 The Authors. Birth Defects Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives. To determine how deaths of infants with genetic diagnoses are described in national mortality statistics. Methods. We present a retrospective cohort study of mortality data, obtained from the National Death Index (NDI), and clinical data for 517 infants born from 2011 to 2017 who died before 1 year of age in the United States. Results. Although 115 of 517 deceased infants (22%) had a confirmed diagnosis of a genetic disorder, only 61 of 115 deaths (53%) were attributed to International Classification of Diseases , 10th Revision codes representing congenital anomalies or genetic disorders (Q00-Q99) as the underlying cause of death because of inconsistencies in death reporting. Infants with genetic diagnoses whose underlying causes of death were coded as Q00-Q99 were more likely to have chromosomal disorders than monogenic conditions (43/61 [70%] vs 18/61 [30%]; P  < .001), which reflects the need for improved accounting for monogenic disorders in mortality statistics. Conclusions. Genetic disorders, although a leading cause of infant mortality, are not accurately captured by vital statistics. Public Health Implications . Expanded access to genetic testing and further clarity in death reporting are needed to describe properly the contribution of genetic disorders to infant mortality.

Purpose: Monoamniotic twin pregnancies are at high risk of perinatal complications and fetal loss. The objective of this study is to describe the management and outcomes of monoamniotic twin pregnancies in a French university obstetrics department., Methods: Retrospective review of all consecutive monoamniotic twin pregnancies managed between 1992 and 2018 in a level-3 university hospital maternity unit. Antenatal variables, gestational age and other neonatal characteristics at delivery, mode of delivery, and its reason were recorded, together with outcomes, including a composite adverse neonatal outcome., Results: Overall, 46 monoamniotic twin pregnancies (92 fetuses) were identified during the study period. Among them, 27 fetal losses and 2 early neonatal deaths were reported. Congenital abnormalities accounted for 33.3% of the 27 fetal losses, and unexpected fetal deaths for 29.6%. Among the 37 women who gave birth to 65 live infants at 23 or more weeks of gestation, 17 had cesarean and 19 vaginal deliveries. Overall and composite adverse neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly for the 33 children born vaginally and the 31 by cesarean deliveries. The prospective risk of intrauterine death in all 92 fetuses reached its nadir of 1.8% at 33 6/7  weeks., Conclusion: This series confirms the still high risk of fetal and neonatal death of these twins and shows that congenital abnormalities but also unexpected fetal deaths account for the majority of pre- and postnatal mortality. Our data suggest that vaginal delivery of monoamniotic twins is safe and that delivery for uncomplicated monoamniotic twins should be considered around 33 weeks of gestation, but not later than 35 weeks.

Introduction: Consanguineous unions occur when a couple are related outside marriage and is associated with adverse genetic and perinatal outcomes for affected offspring. The objectives of this study were to evaluate: (i) background characteristics, (ii) uptake of prenatal and postnatal investigation and (iii) diagnostic outcomes of UK consanguineous couples presenting with a fetal structural anomaly., Material and Methods: This was a retrospective and partly prospective cohort study comparing consanguineous (n = 62) and non-consanguineous (n = 218) pregnancies with current or previous fetal structural anomalies reviewed in a UK prenatal genetic clinic from 2008 to 2019. Outcomes were compared using odds ratios (OR)., Results: Most consanguineous couples were of Pakistani ethnicity (odds ratio [OR] 29, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 13-62) and required use of an interpreter [OR 9, 95% CI 4-20). In the consanguineous group, the uptake of prenatal invasive testing was lower (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.7) and the number declining follow up was greater (OR 10, 95% CI 3-34) than in the non-consanguineous group. This likely explained the lower proportion of consanguineous couples where a final definitive unifying diagnosis to explain the fetal structural anomalies was reached (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.6). When a diagnosis was obtained in this group, it was always postnatal and most often using genomic sequencing technologies (OR 6, 95% CI 1-27). The risk of perinatal death was greater (OR 3, 95% CI 1-6) in the consanguineous group, as was the risk of fetal structural anomaly recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy (OR 4, 95% CI 1-13). There was no difference in the uptake of perinatal autopsy or termination of pregnancy between groups., Conclusions: Consanguineous couples are a vulnerable group in the prenatal setting. Although adverse perinatal outcomes in this group are more common secondary to congenital anomalies, despite the evolution of genomic sequencing technologies, due to a lower uptake of prenatal testing it is less likely that a unifying diagnosis is obtained and recurrence can occur. There is a need for proactive genetic counseling and education from the multidisciplinary team, addressing language barriers as well as religious and cultural beliefs in an attempt to optimize reproductive options., (© 2020 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NFOG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The true incidence of congenital anomalies in sub-Saharan Africa is unknown. Owing to complex challenges associated with congenital anomalies, many affected babies may never present to a health facility, resulting in an underestimation of disease burden., Methods: Interviews were conducted with Ugandans between September 2018 and May 2019. Responses from community members versus families of children with congenital anomalies were compared., Results: A total of 198 Ugandans were interviewed (91 family members, 80 community members). All participants (N = 198) believed that seeking surgical care would lead to poverty, 43% (n = 84) assumed fathers would abandon the child, and 26% (n = 45) thought a child with a congenital anomaly in their community had been left to die. Causes of anomalies were believed to be contraceptive methods (48%, n = 95), witchcraft (17%, n = 34), or drugs (10%, n = 19). Of family members, 25 (28%) were advised to allow the child to die. Families with affected children were more likely to have a lower income (P < .001), believe anomalies could be treated (P = .007), but thought that allowing the child to die was best for the family (32% vs 9%; P < .0001). Monthly household income <50,000 Uganda shillings ($13 United States dollars) was a significant predictor of the father leaving the family (P = .024), being advised to not pursue medical care (P = .046), and believing that God should decide the child's fate (P = .047)., Conclusion: Families face significant financial and social pressures when deciding to seek surgical care for a child with a congenital anomaly. Many children with anomalies may die and never reach a health facility to be counted, thus contributing to a hidden mortality., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Congenital facio-cervical masses can be a developmental anomaly of cystic, solid, or vascular origin, and have an inseparable relationship with adverse prognosis. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed at determining on the prenatal diagnosis of congenital facio-cervical masses, its management and outcome in a large tertiary referral center. We collected information on prenatal clinical data, pregnancy outcomes, survival information, and final diagnosis. Out of 130 cases of facio-cervical masses, a total of 119 cases of lymphatic malformations (LMs), 2 cases of teratoma, 2 cases of thyroglossal duct cyst, 4 cases of hemangioma, 1 case of congenital epulis, and 2 cases of dermoid cyst were reviewed. The accuracy of prenatal ultrasound was 93.85% (122/130). Observations of diameters using prenatal ultrasound revealed that the bigger the initial diameter is, the bigger the relative change during pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that 2 cases of masses were associated with airway compression. In conclusion, ultrasound has a high overall diagnostic accuracy of fetal face and neck deformities. Prenatal US can enhance the management of ambulatory monitoring and classification. Furthermore, MRI provided a detailed assessment of fetal congenital malformations, as well as visualization of the trachea, presenting a multi-dimensional anatomical relationship.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is recommended to prevent potential neurological injury or intrauterine foetal death (IUFD) of the co-twin(s) in complicated monochorionic (MC) pregnancies. However, the impacts of various indications on the pregnancy outcome following RFA remain unclear. This study aimed to determine how the indications influence the perinatal outcomes in complicated MC pregnancies undergoing radiofrequency ablation., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study performed in a single centre. All consecutive MC pregnancies treated with RFA between July 2011 and July 2019 were included. The adverse perinatal outcomes and the survival rate were analysed based on various indications. The continuous variables with and without normal distribution were compared between the groups using Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test, respectively, and for categorical variables, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used. P < 0.05 indicated a significant difference., Results: We performed 272 RFA procedures in 268 complicated MC pregnancies, including 60 selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR), 64 twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), 12 twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence (TRAPs), 66 foetal anomaly and 66 elective foetal reduction (EFR) cases. The overall survival rate of the co-twin was 201/272 (73.9%). The overall technical successful rate was determined at 201/263 (76.7%). The IUFD rate in the co-twin was 20/272 (7.4%). The TTTS group had recorded the lowest survival rate (37/64, 57. 8%), and the survival rate was significantly correlated with Quintero stages (P = 0.029). Moreover, the sIUGR III subgroup had a lower survival rate compared with sIUGR II (55.6%, versus 84.3%). The subgroup of foetal anomaly of gastroschisis or exomphalos had the highest IUFD rate (4/10, 40%), followed by sIUGR III (2/9, 22.2%) and dichorionic triamniotic (DCTA) subgroup (8/46, 17.9%). In EFR group, eight IUFD cases were all coming from the DCTA subgroup and received RFA before 17 weeks., Conclusions: The perinatal outcome of RFA was correlated with the indications, with the lowest survival rate in TTTS IV and the highest IUFD incidence in abdominal wall defect followed by sIUGR III. Elective RFA after 17 weeks may prevent IUFD in DCTA pregnancies.

Background: To assess the actual experiences of long-term follow-up and discuss ways to improve care during the period from childhood to adulthood in newborns who have undergone surgery., Methods: A total of 306 patients with congenital anomalies requiring newborn surgery who survived to discharge from 1994 to 2013 were eligible for inclusion. Survivors with severe chromosomal and cardiac anomalies were excluded. Patients with myelomenigocele, urogenital anomalies and miscellaneous diagnoses were also excluded. Patients with Hirschsprung's disease were excluded since many of them underwent surgery after the neonatal period. Patients with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis were also excluded since their duration of follow-up was too short for this study., Results: According to the follow-up status, survivors were categorized into 4 groups: under follow-up as an outpatient (UF, n = 67), moved (MV, n = 60), follow-up suspended by doctor (Sus, n = 87), and lost to follow-up (LF, n = 92). The incidence of active medical problems was high, and the duration of follow-up was significantly longer in the survivors with esophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia and high-type anorectal malformations than in those with other anomalies. Survivors followed by pediatric surgeons alone, free from active medical problems or free from adverse events during the initial hospitalization were at risk of being LF., Conclusions: More than 30% of the surgical newborn cases were LF. Disease-specific and standardized multidisciplinary follow-up programs that increase both children's and parents' satisfaction and compliance are needed. (230/250 words)., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.)

We propose an original method of postmortem computed tomography angiography of the body of a deceased newborn. The work is based on the analysis of the results of comprehensive postmortem computed tomography and pathological examination of 30 newborns, who died from congenital malformations. The key to a full-fledged postmortem radiation study using intravascular contrasting of deceased newborns and infants is the presence of vascular catheters established during life, as well as conducting it no earlier than 12 h and no later than 48 h after death. As a contrast agent, we recommend to use an iodine-containing water-soluble radiopaque drug containing at least 250 mg of iodine per 1 ml. The volume of contrast agent is calculated based on body weight, taking into account the general edema syndrome. The introduction of a contrast agent is carried out through vascular catheters in 3 stages in various positions of the body. The analysis of tomograms and 3D-reconstruction of blood vessels using their pseudocoloring allows accurate assessment of the topography of blood vessels with the possibility of separate study of the arterial and venous vessels, and to identify both congenital abnormalities of the heart and blood vessels, and their acquired pathology. CT angiography in some cases is superior to traditional autopsy in the diagnosis of blood vessel pathology. Postmortem CT angiography should be considered as an important stage of postmortem radiology in the structure of comprehensive pathological analysis of newborns and infants.

Competing Interests: Competing interestsM.K.K. is a founder of Victory Genomics, Inc.

Introduction: Infant mortality rate (IMR) is an indicator of health and socioeconomic, environmental, and health care conditions. Open dumps and sewage and industrial waste make the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin the most polluted in Argentina., Objective: To analyze infant mortality (IM) in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin compared to Argentina, the province of Buenos Aires (PBA), and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA), and its evolution between 2010 and 2017. Population and methods. Descriptive study based on data from Argentina's Ministry of Health., Results: In 2017, the IMR was 9.4 ‰ in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin; 9.3 ‰ in Argentina; 9.4 ‰ in PBA; and 6.9 ‰ in CABA. Between 2010 and 2017, the IMR in the Matanza- Riachuelo River Basin decreased by 20.6 %, similar to PBA and Argentina. No reduction was observed in CABA. In the 4 jurisdictions, perinatal conditions were the leading cause of death, followed by congenital malformations and respiratory diseases. For respiratory diseases only, the risk in the Matanza- Riachuelo River Basin was 4 times higher than in CABA (relative risk: 3.9; 95 % confidence interval: 1.4-10.7)., Conclusion: The structure of causes, evolution, and risk of IM in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin, Argentina, and PBA was similar between 2010 and 2017. IMR was lower in CABA than in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin, but no reduction was observed in the former. The risk of IM was higher in the Matanza-Riachuelo River Basin than in CABA, at the expense of the increased risk of respiratory disease., Competing Interests: None, (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Background: Following a reduction in global child mortality due to communicable diseases, the relative contribution of congenital anomalies to child mortality is increasing. Although infant survival of children born with congenital anomalies has improved for many anomaly types in recent decades, there is less evidence on survival beyond infancy. We aimed to systematically review, summarise, and quantify the existing population-based data on long-term survival of individuals born with specific major congenital anomalies and examine the factors associated with survival., Methods and Findings: Seven electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest Natural, and Biological Science Collections), reference lists, and citations of the included articles for studies published 1 January 1995 to 30 April 2020 were searched. Screening for eligibility, data extraction, and quality appraisal were performed in duplicate. We included original population-based studies that reported long-term survival (beyond 1 year of life) of children born with a major congenital anomaly with the follow-up starting from birth that were published in the English language as peer-reviewed papers. Studies on congenital heart defects (CHDs) were excluded because of a recent systematic review of population-based studies of CHD survival. Meta-analysis was performed to pool survival estimates, accounting for trends over time. Of 10,888 identified articles, 55 (n = 367,801 live births) met the inclusion criteria and were summarised narratively, 41 studies (n = 54,676) investigating eight congenital anomaly types (spina bifida [n = 7,422], encephalocele [n = 1,562], oesophageal atresia [n = 6,303], biliary atresia [n = 3,877], diaphragmatic hernia [n = 6,176], gastroschisis [n = 4,845], Down syndrome by presence of CHD [n = 22,317], and trisomy 18 [n = 2,174]) were included in the meta-analysis. These studies covered birth years from 1970 to 2015. Survival for children with spina bifida, oesophageal atresia, biliary atresia, diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis, and Down syndrome with an associated CHD has significantly improved over time, with the pooled odds ratios (ORs) of surviving per 10-year increase in birth year being OR = 1.34 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.24-1.46), OR = 1.50 (95% CI 1.38-1.62), OR = 1.62 (95% CI 1.28-2.05), OR = 1.57 (95% CI 1.37-1.81), OR = 1.24 (95% CI 1.02-1.5), and OR = 1.99 (95% CI 1.67-2.37), respectively (p < 0.001 for all, except for gastroschisis [p = 0.029]). There was no observed improvement for children with encephalocele (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.95-1.01, p = 0.19) and children with biliary atresia surviving with native liver (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.88-1.03, p = 0.26). The presence of additional structural anomalies, low birth weight, and earlier year of birth were the most commonly reported predictors of reduced survival for any congenital anomaly type. The main limitation of the meta-analysis was the small number of studies and the small size of the cohorts, which limited the predictive capabilities of the models resulting in wide confidence intervals., Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises estimates of long-term survival associated with major congenital anomalies. We report a significant improvement in survival of children with specific congenital anomalies over the last few decades and predict survival estimates up to 20 years of age for those born in 2020. This information is important for the planning and delivery of specialised medical, social, and education services and for counselling affected families. This trial was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42017074675)., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) is the most frequent commissural malformation of the brain. It continues to be an important cause of the pregnancy termination associated with the central nervous system (CNS)., Objective: The aim of the study is to provide a comprehensive assessment of fetuses with diagnosis of complete ACC, as well as postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes., Methods: The data of 75,843 fetuses were screened for evaluation of complete ACC between 2003 and 2017, and a total of 109 cases with complete ACC were included in the study. ACC was considered isolated when no additional anomalies were detected, and ACC was considered complex when additional anomalies were present., Results: The prevalence of complete ACC was 9.4 per 10,000 live births, and the incidence was ranged from 1.8 to 16.6 per 10,000 person-years. Patients with isolated ACC had a significantly higher survival when compared with patients with complex ACC (97.4%, n = 38/39 vs. 68.8%, n = 22/32, P = 0.001).The most important cause of death were congenital heart disease and/or respiratory failure during neonatal period. Developmental and intellectual disabilities were significantly higher in the complex ACC cases (P < 0.001). Postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes were completely normal in 79.4% of cases with isolated ACC., Conclusions: Isolated complete ACC is usually associated with a favorable outcome. The most important prognostic factors are the presence or absence of associated congenital anomalies.

Background: The first month is the most crucial period for child survival. Neonatal mortality continues to remain high with little improvement over the years in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. This region shows the least progress in reducing neonatal mortality and continues to be a significant public health issue. In this study setting, the causes and predictors of neonatal death in the neonatal intensive care units are not well documented. Hence, this study aimed to determine the causes and predictors of neonatal mortality among infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units in eastern Ethiopia., Methods: A facility-based in prospective follow-up study was conducted among neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units of public hospitals of eastern Ethiopia from November 1 to December 30, 2018. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and a follow-up checklist. The main outcomes and causes of death were set by pediatricians and medical residents. EpiData 3.1 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 25 software were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of facility-based neonatal mortality., Results: The proportion of facility-based neonatal mortality was 20% (95% CI:16.7-23.8%). The causes of death were complications of preterm birth (28.58%), birth asphyxia (22.45%), neonatal infection (18.36%), meconium aspiration syndrome (9.18%), respiratory distress syndrome (7.14%), and congenital malformation (4.08%). Low birth weight, preterm births, length of stay of the neonatal intensive care unit, low 5 min APGAR score, hyperthermia, and initiation of feeding were predictors of neonatal death among infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care units of public hospitals in eastern Ethiopia., Conclusions: The proportion of facility-based neonatal deaths was unacceptably high. The main causes of death were preventable and treatable. Hence, improving the timing and quality of antenatal care is essential for early detection, anticipating high-risk newborns, and timely interventions. Furthermore, early initiation of feeding and better referral linkage to tertiary health facilities could lead to a reduction in neonatal death in this setting.

Objective: The term fatal fetal anomaly (FFA) describes a condition likely to lead to death of the fetus in utero or within 28 days of birth. This study aimed to identify what congenital anomalies are responsible for perinatal death and whether they are classified as an FFA in accordance with criteria outlined in Irish legislation., Methods: Anonymised data pertaining to perinatal deaths from 2011 to 2016 in Ireland were obtained from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre. Secondary data analysis was conducted using SPSS., Results: Of the 2638 perinatal deaths, 939 (36%) had a congenital anomaly. Nearly half was chromosomal (43%, n = 406 of 939) with 36% of the cases (n = 333 of 938) having more than one anomaly. Additional information was available for 777 of these congenital anomaly, of which 42% (n = 328) could be classified an FFA., Conclusion: This study identified that less than half of the congenital anomalies could be classified as an FFA; however, all were fatal. This acknowledges the complexity of these cases. In isolation, the congenital anomaly may not be fatal, but combined as multiorgan system anomalies, it is. Knowledge is required to inform clinical practice and counselling of parents who receive such a diagnosis., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objectives: The Arabic-speaking population is increasing in Europe and North America. Evidence suggests that Arab migrants have a greater risk of adverse birth outcomes than nonmigrants, but the risk of stillbirth is largely understudied. We examined inequality in stillbirth rates between Arab women and the French and English majority of women in Quebec, Canada., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all births in Quebec from 1981 through 2015. We computed stillbirth rates by period and cause of death, and we used log binomial regression to estimate the association between Arabic mother tongue and stillbirth, adjusted for maternal characteristics., Results: Stillbirth rates per 1000 births overall were lower among women with Arabic mother tongue (3.89) than among women with French or English mother tongue (4.52), and rates changed little over time. However, Arabic-speaking women from Arab countries had a higher adjusted risk of stillbirth than French- or English-speaking women (risk ratio = 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.42). Congenital anomalies, termination of pregnancy, and undetermined causes contributed to a disproportionate number of stillbirths among women with Arabic mother tongue compared with the French- and English-speaking majority., Conclusions: Arabic-speaking women from Arab countries have higher risks of stillbirth compared with the French and English majority in Quebec. Strategies to reduce stillbirth risk among Arabic speakers should focus on improving identification of causes of death.

Aims of the Study: Based on an incidental observation made in the context of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Project 67 &ldquo;End-of-life decision-making in extremely low birth weight infants in Switzerland&rdquo;, this retrospective multicentre observational study aimed to analyse circumstances of delivery room deaths after late termination of pregnancy (LTOP) in Switzerland over a 3-year period., Methods: All delivery room deaths (including live and stillbirths) following LTOP among infants with a gestational age between 22 0/7 and 27 6/7 weeks at the nine Swiss level III perinatal centres between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2015 were analysed. Indications for LTOP were classified as either (a) maternal emergencies or (b) fetal anomalies severe enough to cause significant maternal psychological distress. Whenever possible, specific diagnoses were recorded. Spontaneous intrapartum death and fetal death caused by injection of a cardioplegic drug were distinguished for stillborn infants., Results: A total of 465 delivery room deaths among extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) were identified over the 3-year study period of the SNSF project. Of these, 195 (42%) occurred in the context of LTOP. Central nervous system malformations, chromosomal anomalies, severe congenital heart disease, multiple malformations and maternal emergencies accounted for 70% of all LTOPs. LTOPs resulted in live births in 76 (39%) cases. No correlation between gestational age and rate of live births was observed. Fetal death caused by injection of a cardioplegic drug was documented in only three cases. All infants born alive after LTOP died in the delivery room without resuscitation attempts. The use of drugs for palliative care in these patients was either rare or, alternatively, incompletely documented., Conclusion: LTOPs contribute significantly to mortality rates among ELGANs and should therefore be included in perinatal registries. Uniform reporting of LTOPs should be established. Infants born alive after LTOP are entitled to comprehensive palliative care like any other infant born under different circumstances. Development of national guidelines for LTOPs (including the role of fetal death caused by injection of a cardioplegic drug and palliative birth as an alternative to induced abortion) would be highly desirable to guarantee acceptable standards of care.

Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States, accounting for 20.6% of infant deaths in 2017 (1). Rates of infant mortality attributable to birth defects (IMBD) have generally declined since the 1970s (1-3). U.S. linked birth/infant death data from 2003-2017 were used to assess trends in IMBD. Overall, rates declined 10% during 2003-2017, but decreases varied by maternal and infant characteristics. During 2003-2017, IMBD rates decreased 4% for infants of Hispanic mothers, 11% for infants of non-Hispanic black (black) mothers, and 12% for infants of non-Hispanic white (white) mothers. In 2017, these rates were highest among infants of black mothers (13.3 per 10,000 live births) and were lowest among infants of white mothers (9.9). During 2003-2017, IMBD rates for infants who were born extremely preterm (20-27 completed gestational weeks), full term (39-40 weeks), and late term/postterm (41-44 weeks) declined 20%-29%; rates for moderate (32-33 weeks) and late preterm (34-36 weeks) infants increased 17%. Continued tracking of IMBD rates can help identify areas where efforts to reduce IMBD are needed, such as among infants born to black and Hispanic mothers and those born moderate and late preterm (32-36 weeks)., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Background: Congenital anomalies are a major cause of co-morbidity in children. Diagnostic code lists are increasingly used to identify congenital anomalies in administrative health records. Evidence is lacking on comparability of these code lists., Objectives: To compare prevalence of congenital anomalies and prognostic outcomes for children with congenital anomalies identified in administrative health records using three different code lists., Methods: We developed national cohorts of singleton livebirths in England (n = 7 354 363, 2003-2014) and Scotland (n = 493 556, 2003-2011). Children with congenital anomalies were identified if congenital anomaly diagnosis was recorded at birth, during subsequent hospital admission or as cause of death before 2 years old. We used three code lists: the EUROCAT list for congenital anomaly surveillance in Europe; the Hardelid list developed to identify children with chronic conditions (including congenital anomalies) admitted to hospital in England; and the Feudtner list developed to indicate children with complex chronic conditions (including congenital anomalies) admitted to hospitals in the United States. We compared prevalence, and risks of postnatal hospital readmission and death according to each code list in England and Scotland., Results: Prevalence of congenital anomalies was highest using the EUROCAT list (4.1% of livebirths in England, 3.7% in Scotland), followed by Hardelid (3.1% and 3.0% of livebirths, respectively) and Feudtner (1.8% and 1.5% of livebirths, respectively). 67.2%-73.3% of children with congenital anomalies in England and 65.2%-77.0% in Scotland had at least one postnatal hospital admission across the three code lists; mortality ranged between 42.6-75.4 and 41.5-88.7 deaths per 1000 births in England Scotland, respectively. The risk of these adverse outcomes was highest using Feudtner and lowest using EUROCAT code lists., Conclusions: The prevalence of congenital anomalies varied by congenital anomaly code list, over time and between countries, reflecting in part differences in hospital coding practices and admission thresholds. As a minimum, researchers using administrative health data to study congenital anomalies should report sensitivity analyses using different code lists., (2020 The Authors. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology published by Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To describe ethnic and socioeconomic variation in cause-specific infant mortality of preterm babies by gestational age at birth., Design: National birth cohort study., Setting: England and Wales 2006-2012., Subjects: Singleton live births at 24-36 completed weeks' gestation (n=256 142)., Outcome Measures: Adjusted rate ratios for death in infancy by cause (three groups), within categories of gestational age at birth (24-27, 28-31, 32-36 weeks), by baby's ethnicity (nine groups) or area deprivation score (Index of Multiple Deprivation quintiles)., Results: Among 24-27 week births (5% of subjects; 47% of those who died in infancy), all minority ethnic groups had lower risk of immaturity-related death than White British, the lowest rate ratios being 0.63 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.80) for Black Caribbean, 0.74 (0.64 to 0.85) for Black African and 0.75 (0.60 to 0.94) for Indian. Among 32-36 week births, all minority groups had higher risk of death from congenital anomalies than White British, the highest rate ratios being 4.50 (3.78 to 5.37) for Pakistani, 2.89 (2.10 to 3.97) for Bangladeshi and 2.06 (1.59 to 2.68) for Black African; risks of death from congenital anomalies and combined rarer causes (infection, intrapartum conditions, SIDS and unclassified) increased with deprivation, the rate ratios comparing the most with the least deprived quintile being, respectively, 1.54 (1.22 to 1.93) and 2.05 (1.55 to 2.72). There was no evidence of socioeconomic variation in deaths from immaturity-related conditions., Conclusions: Gestation-specific preterm infant mortality shows contrasting ethnic patterns of death from immaturity-related conditions in extremely-preterm babies, and congenital anomalies in moderate/late-preterm babies. Socioeconomic variation derives from congenital anomalies and rarer causes in moderate/late-preterm babies. Future research should examine biological origins of extremely preterm birth., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Reliable local data for evaluating and planning neonatal interventions in low-resource countries are scarce. To provide data for evaluating neonatal interventions in an administrative region of Ghana, the study examined baseline data for inpatient neonatal services prior to the implementation of a 5-years national action plan to reduce newborn deaths., Methods: This is a retrospective review of admissions and deaths registry for the years 2013 and 2014 at 3 referral neonatal units representing district, regional and tertiary referral centres in Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Perinatal, and neonatal hospitalisation data were extracted. Chi-squared test was used to compare outcomes., Results: Of the 8228 newborn infants hospitalised for special care, over 99% had antenatal care and were delivered at a health facility, 96.7% and 91.7% had birth weight and outcome data, respectively. Low birth weight infants accounted for 48.5% of total admissions and 67% of deaths. Using birth weight criteria, survival to discharge was 25.6% for infants less than 1000grams, 67.9% for 1000-1499grams, 88% for 1500-2499grams and 88.7% for infants 2500grams and higher. Among infants with birth weight of 1000grams and higher, perinatal asphyxia (70.6%) and respiratory distress (16.4%) accounted for most deaths., Conclusion: There was significant burden of neonatal morbidity and mortality in hospitalized newborns prior to the implementation of the national action plan. The report provides a yardstick for assessing the impact of the national action plan and comparative analysis of future interventions on neonatal outcome in the region.

Background: Congenital anomalies have risen to become the fifth leading cause of under-five mortality globally. The majority of deaths and disability occur in low- and middle-income countries including Ghana. This 3-year retrospective review aimed to define, for the first time, the characteristics and outcomes of neonatal surgical conditions in northern Ghana., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to include all admissions to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with surgical conditions between January 2014 and January 2017. Data were collected on demographics, diagnosis and outcomes. Descriptive analysis was performed on all data, and logistic regression was used to predict determinants of neonatal mortality. p < 0.05 was deemed significant., Results: Three hundred and forty-seven neonates were included. Two hundred and sixty-one (75.2%) were aged 7 days or less at presentation, with males (n = 177, 52%) slightly higher than females (n = 165, 48%). The majority were delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery (n = 247, 88%); 191 (58%) were born in hospital. Congenital anomalies accounted for 302 (87%) of the neonatal surgical cases and 45 (96%) deaths. The most common anomalies were omphalocele (n = 48, 13.8%), imperforate anus (n = 34, 9.8%), intestinal obstruction (n = 29, 8.4%), spina bifida (n = 26, 7.5%) and hydrocephalus (n = 19, 5.5%). The overall mortality rate was 13.5%. Two-thirds of the deaths (n = 30) from congenital anomalies were conditions involving the digestive system with gastroschisis having the highest mortality of 88%. Omphalocele (n = 11, 23.4%), gastroschisis (n = 7, 14.9%) and imperforate anus (n = 6, 12.8%) contributed to the most deaths. On multivariate analysis, low birthweight was significantly associated with mortality (OR 3.59, CI 1.4-9.5, p = 0.009)., Conclusion: Congenital anomalies are a major global health problem associated with high neonatal mortality in Ghana. The highest burden in terms of both caseload and mortality is attributed to congenital anomalies involving the digestive system, which should be targeted to improve outcomes.

Purpose of Review: The implementation of palliative care at birth has led to a significant rise in the number of couples who choose to continue with pregnancies complicated by life-limiting malformations (LLMs). Prenatal counselling and appropriate antenatal/perinatal management in these cases are poorly studied and may pose significant challenges. The purpose of this review is to outline specific obstetric risks and to suggest management for mothers who choose to continue with pregnancies with the most common LLMs., Recent Findings: In pregnancies complicated by LLMs where parents opt for expectant management, clinicians should respect parental wishes, whilst openly sharing potential serious maternal medical risks specific for the identified abnormalities. The focus of both antenatal and perinatal care should be maternal wellbeing rather than foetal survival. Follow-up ultrasound examinations and maternal surveillance should be aimed at achieving timely diagnosis and effective management of obstetric complications. A clear perinatal plan, agreed with the couples by a multi-disciplinary team including a foetal medicine specialist, a neonatologist and a geneticist, is crucial to reduce maternal morbidity., Summary: This review provides a useful framework for clinicians who face the challenges of counselling and managing cases complicated by LLMs where parents opt for pregnancy continuation.

Canine congenital malformations are structural or functional abnormalities of organs present at birth that possibly interfere with the viability of newborns, thus contributing to neonatal mortality. This study evaluated and described the incidence of congenital malformations in neonatal dogs and determined the mortality rates among those affected. Of the 178 litters and 803 newborns included in the study, 24.7% (44/178) of the litters presented neonates with congenital malformations. The total rate of neonates that presented malformations was 6.7% (64/803). The total mortality rate in newborns with congenital defects was 5.4% (44/803), representing 68.7% (44/64) of the deaths observed among those affected. The early (0-2 days old) and late (3-30 days old) mortality rates among the affected neonates were 61.4% (27/44) and 38.6% (17/44), respectively. In total, 27 malformations were recorded, and the most common congenital defects were cleft palate 2.8% (23/803) and hydrocephaly 1.5% (12/803), either alone or associated with other malformations. The malformations were recorded in 15 breeds: Pug, Miniature Pinscher, Rottweiler, Pitbull, French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Lhasa Apso, Poodle, German Spitz, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih-tzu, Brazilian Terrier and mixed breed. One case of exposure to a teratogenic agent was reported, but no maternal exposure to teratogens during gestation was reported with the other litters. The occurrence of congenital defects may be related to genetic factors since the highest incidence of malformations (84.4%) was observed in purebred dogs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

People are having children later in life. The consequences for offspring adult survival have been little studied due to the need for long follow-up linked to parental data and most research has considered offspring survival only in early life. We used Swedish registry data to examine all-cause and cause-specific adult mortality (293,470 deaths among 5,204,433 people, followed up to a maximum of 80 years old) in relation to parental age. For most common causes of death adult survival was improved in the offspring of older parents (HR for all-cause survival was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.97) and 0.98 (0.97, 0.98) per five years of maternal and paternal age, respectively). The childhood environment provided by older parents may more than compensate for any physiological disadvantages. Within-family analyses suggested stronger benefits of advanced parental age. This emphasises the importance of secular trends; a parent's later children were born into a wealthier, healthier world. Sibling-comparison analyses can best assess individual family planning choices, but our results suggested a vulnerability to selection bias when there is extensive censoring. We consider the numerous causal and non-causal mechanisms which can link parental age and offspring survival, and the difficulty of separating them with currently available data.

Aim: To determine survival of infants with major congenital anomalies (CA) and assess the effect of co-existing anomalies and gestational age., Methods: All liveborn infants with major CA born in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, 2004-2009 were identified from the NSW Register of Congenital Conditions. Deaths were identified via record linkage to death registrations and five-year survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods., Results: There were 8521 liveborn infants with CA of whom 617 (7.2%) died within the first five years of life. Half of deaths occurred in the first week of life. The overall five-year survival rate was 92.8% (95%CI: 92.2-93.3) and 83.2% (95%CI: 79.0-87.4) for syndromes, 83.4% (95%CI: 80.9-85.9) for multiple, 85.1% (95%CI: 82.6-87.5) for chromosomal, 95.3% (95%CI: 94.8-95.8) for isolated and 96.2% (95%CI: 94.3-98.1) for non-Q chapter anomalies. Five-year survival for chromosomal, syndromes and sub-groups was higher for isolated compared with multiple anomalies ranging from 77.5% to 98.9% and 68.6% to 89.5%, respectively. Survival was lower for preterm (79.4%; 95%CI: 77.5-81.4) than for term infants (95.8%; 95%CI: 95.3-96.3)., Conclusion: Nine in ten infants with major CA survive up to five years, although there is variability in survival across CA groups. Survival of infants with major congenital anomalies has improved in recent years., (©2019 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To investigate socioeconomic inequalities in cause-specific stillbirth and neonatal mortality to identify key areas of focus for future intervention strategies to achieve government ambitions to reduce mortality rates., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: England, Wales, Scotland and the UK Crown Dependencies., Participants: All singleton births between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2015 at ≥24 weeks' gestation., Main Outcome Measure: Cause-specific stillbirth or neonatal death (0-27 days after birth) per 10 000 births by deprivation quintile., Results: Data on 5694 stillbirths (38.1 per 10 000 total births) and 2368 neonatal deaths (15.9 per 10 000 live births) were obtained from Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK). Women from the most deprived areas were 1.68 (95% CI 1.56 to 1.81) times more likely to experience a stillbirth and 1.67 (95% CI 1.48 to 1.87) times more likely to experience a neonatal death than those from the least deprived areas, equating to an excess of 690 stillbirths and 231 neonatal deaths per year associated with deprivation. Small for gestational age (SGA) unexplained antepartum stillbirth was the greatest contributor to excess stillbirths accounting for 33% of the deprivation gap in stillbirths. Congenital anomalies accounted for the majority (59%) of the deprivation gap in neonatal deaths, followed by preterm birth not SGA (24-27 weeks, 27%)., Conclusions: Cause-specific mortality rates at a national level allow identification of key areas of focus for future intervention strategies to reduce mortality. Despite a reduction in the deprivation gap for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, public health interventions should primarily focus on socioeconomic determinants of SGA stillbirth and congenital anomalies., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To explore the extent to which the severity of birth defects could be differentiated using severity of illness (SOI) and risk of mortality (ROM) measures available in national discharge databases., Methods: Data from the 2012-14 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify hospitalizations with one or more major birth defects reported annually to the National Birth Defects Prevention Network using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes. Each hospitalization also contained a 4-level SOI and 4-level ROM classification measure. For each birth defect and for each individual birth defect-related ICD-9-CM code, we calculated mean and median SOI and ROM, the proportion of hospitalizations in each level of SOI and ROM, the inpatient mortality rate, and level of agreement between various existing or derived severity proxies in the NIS and the Texas Birth Defects Registry (TBDR)., Results: Mean SOI ranged from 1.5 (cleft lip alone) to 3.7 (single ventricle), and mean ROM ranged from 1.1 (cleft lip alone) to 3.9 (anencephaly). As a group, critical congenital heart defects had the highest average number of co-occurring defects, mean SOI, and ROM, whereas orofacial and genitourinary defects had the lowest SOI and ROM. We found strong levels of agreement between TBDR severity classifications and NIS severity classifications defined using Level 3 or 4 SOI or ROM Level 3 or 4., Conclusions: This preliminary investigation demonstrated how severity indices of birth defects could be differentiated and compared to a severity algorithm of an existing surveillance program., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Children with complex medical needs (CMN) are high healthcare resource utilizers, have varying underlying diagnoses, and experience repeated hospitalizations. Outcomes on neonatal intensive care (NICU) patients with CMN are unknown., Purpose: The primary aim is to describe the clinical profile, resource use, prevalence, and both in-hospital and postdischarge outcomes of neonates with CMN. The secondary aim is to assess the feasibility of sustaining the use of the neonatal complex care team (NCCT)., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted after implementing a new model of care for neonates with CMN in the NICU. All neonates born between January 2013 and December 2016 and who met the criteria for CMN and were cared for by the NCCT were included., Results: One hundred forty-seven neonates with a mean (standard deviation) gestational age of 34 (5) weeks were included. The major underlying diagnoses were genetic/chromosomal abnormalities (48%), extreme prematurity (26%), neurological abnormality (12%), and congenital anomalies (11%). Interventions received included mechanical ventilation (69%), parenteral nutrition (68%), and technology dependency at discharge (91%). Mortality was 3% before discharge and 17% after discharge. Postdischarge hospital attendances included emergency department visits (44%) and inpatient admissions (58%), which involved pediatric intensive care unit admissions (26%)., Implications for Practice: Neonates with CMN have multiple comorbidities, high resource needs, significant postdischarge mortality, and rehospitalization rates. These cohorts of NICU patients can be identified early during their NICU course and serve as targets for implementing innovative care models to meet their unique needs., Implications for Research: Future studies should explore the feasibility of implementing innovative care models and their potential impact on patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Objectives: Although several studies have reported outcome data on critically ill children, detailed reports by age are not available. We aimed to evaluate the age-specific estimates of trends in causes of diagnosis, procedures, and outcomes of pediatric admissions to ICUs in a national representative sample., Design: A population-based retrospective cohort study., Setting: Three hundred forty-four hospitals in South Korea., Patients: All pediatric admissions to ICUs in Korea from August 1, 2009, to September 30, 2014, were covered by the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation, with virtually complete coverage of the pediatric population in Korea. Patients less than 18 years with at least one ICUs admission between August 1, 2009, and September 30, 2014. We excluded neonatal admissions (< 28 days), neonatal ICUs, and admissions for health status other than a disease or injury. The final sample size was 38,684 admissions from 32,443 pediatric patients., Intervention: None., Measurements and Main Results: The overall age-standardized admission rate for pediatric patients was 75.9 admissions per 100,000 person-years. The most common primary diagnosis of admissions was congenital malformation (10,897 admissions, 28.2%), with marked differences by age at admission (5,712 admissions [54.8%] in infants, 3,994 admissions [24.6%] in children, and 1,191 admissions [9.9%] in adolescents). Injury was the most common primary diagnosis in adolescents (3,248 admissions, 27.1%). The overall in-hospital mortality was 2,234 (5.8%) with relatively minor variations across age. Neoplasms and circulatory and neurologic diseases had both high frequency of admissions and high in-hospital mortality., Conclusions: Admission patterns, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of pediatric patients admitted to ICUs varied by age groups. Strategies to improve critical care qualities of pediatric patients need to be based on the differences of age and may need to be targeted at specific age groups.

Background: The global burden of pediatric surgical conditions continues to remain inadequately addressed, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Among the many factors contributing to this gap are a lack of access to care secondary to resource shortages and inequitable distribution, underfinancing of healthcare systems, poor quality of care, and contextual challenges such as natural disasters and conflict. The relative contribution of these and other factors varies widely by region and even with countries of a region., Methods: This review seeks to discuss the heterogeneity of global pediatric surgery and offer recommendations for addressing the barriers to high-quality pediatric surgical care throughout the world., Results: There is significant heterogeneity in pediatric surgical challenges, both between regions and among countries in the same region, although data are limited. This heterogeneity can reflect differences in demographics, epidemiology, geography, income level, health spending, historical health policies, and cultural practices, among others., Conclusion: Country-level research and stakeholder engagement are needed to better understand the heterogeneity of local needs and drive policy changes that contribute to sustainable reforms. Key to these efforts will be improved financing, access to and quality of pediatric surgical care.