Editorial: Congenital Anomalies: State of the Art and the New Paradigms for a Precision Public Health Approach

Congenital anomalies (CA) can be broadly defined as structural anomalies, chromosomal anomalies, and syndromes occurring in the early stages of embryonic development that may be diagnosed prenatally or postnatally. They are a major cause of perinatal mortality, childhood morbidity and childhood disability. The scholarly activities concerned with CA comprise a complex set of scientific questions and public health challenges. A rich mix of disciplines as diverse as genetics, embryology, pathology, physiology, public health, epidemiology, biostatistics but also social sciences including sociology, psychology, medical ethics and anthropology can and do address important questions concerning fetuses and newborns with CA.