Prevalence of congenital anomalies and prenatal diagnosis by birth institution (public vs. non-public): indicators of inequality in access to elective termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies

Abstract

Congenital anomalies (CA) encompass all morphological or functional alterations originating prenatally and present at birth. The prenatal diagnosis of these anomalies can signifcantly impact the overall health of the pregnant individual and may infuence her decision regarding the continuation of the pregnancy. In contexts where safe pregnancy termination is not guaranteed by the state, it can lead to unsafe procedures with severe consequences. In our research, we analyzed epidemiological information on CA to develop potential indicators of inequity in access to safe abortion prior to the legalization of legal termination of pregnancy in Argentina. We included cases from 13 public hospitals and 9 non-public subsector hospitals, from the period 2013–2020. Two groups of specifc CA were selected: 1) CA capable of being prenatally diagnosed, and 2) CA related to vascular disruptive events. 10/18 of the selected CA capable of being prenatally diagnosed had a signifcantly higher prevalence in public hospitals (anencephaly, encephalocele, spina bifda, microcephaly, hydrocephalus, holoprosencephaly, hydranencephaly, diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis, bilateral renal agenesis). Non public hospitals had higher prenatal detection. Birth prevalence of CA related with vascular disruptive events (limb reduction, Moebius syndrome, amniotic band sequence) were signifcantly higher in public hospitals. These results suggest disparities in access to prenatal diagnosis and safe abortion based on socioeconomic status. There was a signifcant gap in access to prenatal diagnosis for CA and possibly to safe elective abortion depending on the type of institution (public vs. non-public).