Statistical studies on the epidemiology of human congenital malformations. Implications of maternal virus infections.

Prospective and retrospective statistical studies were performed in 1,000 cases of congenital malformations. The incidences and severity of the different types of malformations were correlated with the risk and protection factors having acted on the pregnant woman. The correlation coefficients were higher in the case of specific risk factors, among which special attention was paid to maternal virus infections. The possibility is discussed of developing a programme for the individual protection of high-risk cases, implying the compensation of the exposure to risk factors by the application of adequate protection factors, according to the calculated scores.