Mortality from congenital malformations by mother's country of birth

SUMMARY Mortality from congenital malformations by mother's country of birth was examined in England and Wales between the years 1976 and 1980, based on stillbirths and infant deaths. There were 18 870 stillbirths and infant deaths attributed to congenital malformations in this period, of which 2 375 (13%) were to mothers born outside the United Kingdom. There were excess deaths from malformations among Pakistani, Indian/Bangladeshi, African, and Irish mothers. In contrast, West Indian mothers had a consistent deficit in deaths from malformations over the study period. The significance of these findings is discussed. Background The aetiology of most congenital malformations is unknown. The incidence of certain malformations is known to be related to factors such as the age of the mother, season of birth, and ethnicity. The variations between the different ethnic groups may be the consequence of environment, genetic predisposition or possible interactions of these two factors