Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia: Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019)

Pablo Pineda-Sanabria; Esteban Portilla-Rojas; Catalina Arbelaez-Hoyos; Valentina Baquero-Castro; Juliana Lores; Karen Sarmiento; Ignacio Zarante

doi:10.1177/30502225251383338

Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia: Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019)

Pablo Pineda-Sanabria
, Esteban Portilla-Rojas
, Catalina Arbelaez-Hoyos
, Valentina Baquero-Castro
, Juliana Lores
, Karen Sarmiento
, Ignacio Zarante

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Birth defects are a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Latin America, longitudinal studies on BD prevalence and mortality remain limited.

OBJECTIVES: To describe BD epidemiology in Bogotá and Cali (2002-2019), focusing on prevalence, in-hospital mortality, and associated maternal and neonatal factors.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study using PREVERDEC surveillance data from 558 057 births, following Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC) methodology. BD prevalence was expressed per 10 000 live births, and Cox regression identified mortality risk factors.

RESULTS: BD prevalence was 126.8 (95% CI: 123.9-129.8) per 10 000 live births, with musculoskeletal anomalies most common. Neonatal mortality was 0.26 per 1000 live births. Mortality risk was higher in preterm infants, those with major BD, and circulatory system defects.

CONCLUSION: This study provides updated evidence on BD in Colombia, highlighting risk factors for adverse outcomes.

Original language	English
Article number	30502225251383338
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Journal	Sage Open Pediatrics
Volume	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/30502225251383338 https://doi.org/10.1177/30502225251383338
State	Published - 27 Oct 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Birth defects
Colombia
Congenital abnormalities
Mortality
Public health
congenital abnormalities
mortality
birth defects
public health

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Pineda-Sanabria, P., Portilla-Rojas, E., Arbelaez-Hoyos, C., Baquero-Castro, V., Lores, J., Sarmiento, K., & Zarante, I. (2025). Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia: Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019). Sage Open Pediatrics, 12, 1-9. Article 30502225251383338. https://doi.org/10.1177/30502225251383338, https://doi.org/10.1177/30502225251383338

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title = "Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia: Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019)",

abstract = "INTRODUCTION: Birth defects are a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Latin America, longitudinal studies on BD prevalence and mortality remain limited.OBJECTIVES: To describe BD epidemiology in Bogot{\'a} and Cali (2002-2019), focusing on prevalence, in-hospital mortality, and associated maternal and neonatal factors.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study using PREVERDEC surveillance data from 558 057 births, following Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC) methodology. BD prevalence was expressed per 10 000 live births, and Cox regression identified mortality risk factors.RESULTS: BD prevalence was 126.8 (95\% CI: 123.9-129.8) per 10 000 live births, with musculoskeletal anomalies most common. Neonatal mortality was 0.26 per 1000 live births. Mortality risk was higher in preterm infants, those with major BD, and circulatory system defects.CONCLUSION: This study provides updated evidence on BD in Colombia, highlighting risk factors for adverse outcomes.",

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Pineda-Sanabria, P, Portilla-Rojas, E, Arbelaez-Hoyos, C, Baquero-Castro, V, Lores, J , Sarmiento, K & Zarante, I 2025, 'Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia: Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019)', Sage Open Pediatrics, vol. 12, 30502225251383338, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/30502225251383338, https://doi.org/10.1177/30502225251383338

TY - JOUR

T1 - Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia

T2 - Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019)

AU - Pineda-Sanabria, Pablo

AU - Portilla-Rojas, Esteban

AU - Arbelaez-Hoyos, Catalina

AU - Baquero-Castro, Valentina

AU - Lores, Juliana

AU - Sarmiento, Karen

AU - Zarante, Ignacio

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

PY - 2025/10/27

Y1 - 2025/10/27

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Birth defects are a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Latin America, longitudinal studies on BD prevalence and mortality remain limited.OBJECTIVES: To describe BD epidemiology in Bogotá and Cali (2002-2019), focusing on prevalence, in-hospital mortality, and associated maternal and neonatal factors.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study using PREVERDEC surveillance data from 558 057 births, following Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC) methodology. BD prevalence was expressed per 10 000 live births, and Cox regression identified mortality risk factors.RESULTS: BD prevalence was 126.8 (95% CI: 123.9-129.8) per 10 000 live births, with musculoskeletal anomalies most common. Neonatal mortality was 0.26 per 1000 live births. Mortality risk was higher in preterm infants, those with major BD, and circulatory system defects.CONCLUSION: This study provides updated evidence on BD in Colombia, highlighting risk factors for adverse outcomes.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Birth defects are a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Latin America, longitudinal studies on BD prevalence and mortality remain limited.OBJECTIVES: To describe BD epidemiology in Bogotá and Cali (2002-2019), focusing on prevalence, in-hospital mortality, and associated maternal and neonatal factors.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study using PREVERDEC surveillance data from 558 057 births, following Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC) methodology. BD prevalence was expressed per 10 000 live births, and Cox regression identified mortality risk factors.RESULTS: BD prevalence was 126.8 (95% CI: 123.9-129.8) per 10 000 live births, with musculoskeletal anomalies most common. Neonatal mortality was 0.26 per 1000 live births. Mortality risk was higher in preterm infants, those with major BD, and circulatory system defects.CONCLUSION: This study provides updated evidence on BD in Colombia, highlighting risk factors for adverse outcomes.

KW - Birth defects

KW - Colombia

KW - Congenital abnormalities

KW - Mortality

KW - Public health

KW - congenital abnormalities

KW - mortality

KW - birth defects

KW - public health

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105019963724

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/f07e542d-236f-33e9-8b53-334f97cd7167/

U2 - 10.1177/30502225251383338

DO - 10.1177/30502225251383338

M3 - Article

C2 - 41181335

AN - SCOPUS:105019963724

SN - 3050-2225

VL - 12

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - Sage Open Pediatrics

JF - Sage Open Pediatrics

M1 - 30502225251383338

ER -

Birth Defects and Mortality-Related Factors in Colombia: Insights from a Surveillance Cohort (2002-2019)

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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