malformation

According to the research, the increase in infant mortality due to congenital malformations was consistent with women being denied abortions for non-viable pregnancies - where a pregnancy cannot possibly result in a liveborn baby.

That’s because an infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly, which is when a baby's head is much smaller than expected, and other congenital malformations like limb contractures, high muscle tone, eye abnormalities, and hearing loss.

Tests on the body showed Abiyah was suffering from a catalogue of conditions including rickets, anaemia, stunted growth, bone malformation and deformity, bone fractures and severe dental decay.

The study also identified increased risks of mortality associated with several causes such as respiratory, circulatory and digestive system disorders; nervous system, endocrine and infectious diseases; cancers; and congenital malformations.

Roughly 4% of the population is affected by a congenital brain malformation that has eluded researchers' efforts to find causes and treatments.