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Risk Factors of Idiopathic Congenital Clubfoot in the South of Vietnam: A Hospital-Based Study

PURPOSE

To date, there are no comprehensive epidemiological studies exploring congenital clubfoot (CCF) within the Vietnamese population. This study aimed to identify potential risk factors associated with idiopathic CCF in infants and their mothers in southern Vietnam.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted to compare the environmental and socio-demographic characteristics of mothers and infants between two groups: infants diagnosed with idiopathic CCF (cases) and those without any congenital deformity (controls). The study included 233 cases and 232 controls. All infants were born in 2002, and their mothers resided in the southern and highland provinces of Vietnam. Associations between maternal and infant characteristics and the occurrence of CCF were assessed using odds ratios and Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

The prevalence of clubfoot was significantly higher in male infants compared to females (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.17-2.61). The breech presentation was strongly associated with an increased risk of clubfoot (p = 0.001). Mothers living in the western, eastern, and highland regions of Vietnam had significantly higher odds of having infants with clubfoot compared to those residing in Ho Chi Minh City, with odds ratios of 2.22 (95% CI: 1.39-3.55), 1.97 (95% CI: 1.21-3.23), and 3.86 (95% CI: 1.74-7.79), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified significant associations between CCF and infant sex, breech presentation, and maternal geographical location. Further, population-based studies are needed to explore these risk factors on a broader scale.