Birth Defects Data from Surveillance Hospitals in Hubei Province, China, 200l – 2008

Tu, Lh; Li, H; Zhang, Hp; Li, Xd; Lin, Jj; Xiong, Cl

conceptional folate supplementation has a strong protective effect against NTDs (13) , pregnant woman has been encouraged to take folic acid supplements to prevent NTDs by doctors. Actually, the decrease of NTDs did happen which was owe mainly to the folic acid supplements taking measure (14) . To reduce the overall prevalence of BD, it is necessary to keep the surveillance system function properly and provide prevention and health care service extensively. To reduce the rate of missing report of surveillance hospitals and make the BD data much more convenient and accessible, it is of help to draw lessons from the European network of registers for the epidemiologic surveillance of congenital anomalies, the EUROCAT (15). Besides, primitive maternal and child health care service should be easily approachable for women of childbearing age, especially those living in rural areas (16) . Furthermore, studies on the integration of genetic and environmental risks, especially the links between environmental geochemistry and prevalence of BD (17) , are also important for better characterizing etiologies, as well as providing access to better clinical care and prevention. Eight years' BD data indicate that the BD prevalence was rising and the BD prevalence in Hubei province should be valued; prevention program of BD shall be better performed to decrease prevalence of birth deformation in perinatal infants based on improved perinatal care and prenatal diagnosis.