Introduction:

Congenital defects, which are generated in intrauterine life, are alterations of the development and have a high impact on infant mortality. PAHO states that public health surveillance is one of the fundamental tools to obtain more accurate estimates of the prevalence of the event.

Methodology:

A retrospective, descriptive study based on the weekly individual notification of cases to the Public Health Surveillance System (SIVIGILA) of the 215 event - congenital defects identified during the years 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Results:

The notification of congenital defects in Colombia increased by 39.9% between 2015 and 2017 with a prevalence rate of 106.6 cases per 10,000 living births during 2017. The highest prevalence rates of congenital defects were found in four different groups: 1) under age males, 2) people with indigenous ethnicity, 3) children whose mothers are not insured to the health system, 4) children whose mothers are older than 35 years old. Likewise, congenital defects of the musculoskeletal system, the circulatory system and the central nervous system evidenced the highest prevalence rate.

Discussion:

The highest prevalence rates identified in some population groups are consistent with other studies conducted in the region, and they can also be related to conditions of vulnerability that possibly limit the opportunities to access the different health services.