Not quite perfect! Diagnosis of a minor congenital abnormality during examination of the newborn

Due to advances in antenatal screening programmes, parents may have unrealistic expectations that their child will be born ‘perfect’. The examination of the newborn can shatter this illusion when minor congenital anomalies, not detected by antenatal screening, are diagnosed. This paper endeavours to explore parental reaction when the diagnosis of polydactyly and/or syndactyly in the term infant is made and discuss how staff can facilitate the parents in accepting their ‘not quite perfect’ child.