Conclusion
The important findings from this study indicates the need for birth
defect policy to establish a national surveillance system for birth
defects. This measure will help in recording of the epidemiology of
congenital anomalies, measuring the burden on public health and
anticipate the health care needs with the implementation of
preconception preventative measures. Currently we have only a
notification system at ministry of health and compliance to fill the
form is not 100 percent in all the regions and health care centers.
Preconception genetic counselling, folic acid fortification and
supplement, healthy lifestyle promotion and sufficient nourishment
advice can contribute effectively in birth defect prevention programs.
Therefore, major efforts are needed to increase awareness of the
occurrence and risk factors of congenital anomalies through public
health education and advocacy.
Funding statement: there was no funding available for the
study.
Disclosure of interests: “The authors declare no conflicts of
interest” including relevant financial, personal, political,
intellectual or religious interests.
Contribution to
authorship: SAU, BAF, SH, IAS, and MAS: Conceptualization, Methodology,
Software: Data curation, Writing- Original draft
preparation. IAS, BAF, MAS and SAU : Visualization,
Investigation. BAF, MAS, IAS and
SH : Supervision.: IAS and SH : Software,
Validation.: IAS, BAF, MAS, SAU and SH: Writing- Reviewing and
Editing.
Details of ethics
approval: The Scientific Research Committee, at the Royal Hospital,
Muscat, has approved the study on 23rd January 2018
with a reference number SRC#5/2018.