Dismorfología y Genética ClínicaIn this chapter, the information gathered by ECEMC between January 1980 and December 2008 has been analysed. It corresponds to
2,463,134 consecutive newborn infants surveyed, among which 37,545 (1.52%) presented congenital defects detected during the first 3
days of life. When these were distributed by clinical presentation, all the groups showed a statistically significant diminishing trend since
the base period, mainly attributable to the impact of termination of pregnancy after the diagnosis of foetal alterations. The distribution by
clinical presentation was specifically analysed for 17 congenital defects which are usually monitored, this information being useful in the
field of prenatal diagnosis. Blastogenic defects showed a statistically significant decrease in the study period, except in the last 6 years,
which could be due to the influence of the immigrant population. All the infants registered were distributed by the causes of the defects,
and those with syndromes were also distributed by etiology and frequency in the ECEMC data. Moreover, all infants with congenital defects
were distributed by the organic system or area affected, and presented in 3 periods of time.
Given the increase in the immigrant population in our country, the distribution of all infants with congenital defects by ethnic group is
shown, with whites being distinguished as native or foreigner. This distribution by ethnic group is important for designing specific campaigns
for prevention, education and information, according to their real needs. When analysing some selected defects in those groups,
with respect to the group of native whites, a lower percentage of cases with neural tube defects was found among blacks; a higher percentage
of cases with cardiovascular defects was registered among blacks, gipsies and arabs; a lower percentage of cases with hypospadias
was observed among blacks and indoamericans, and a higher percentage of cases with postaxial polydactyly was found among blacks.
This data provides useful information for identifying defects for which the gene frequencies of the native population could be modified
by immigration, as well as to define specific needs of the different ethnic groups in Spain.N
