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Heart defects and other malformations in the Inuit in Canada: a baseline study
L Arbour1, C Gilpin, V Millor-Roy
1Children and Women's Health Centre of BC, University of British Columbia, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. larbour@cw.bc.ca
International Journal of Circumpolar Health
|November 6, 2004
Summary
Birth defects, particularly heart defects, were significantly higher in Inuit infants compared to the general population. Further research is needed to identify contributing factors and potential interventions like optimizing vitamin intake.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Genetics
Background:
- Birth defects are a significant global cause of infant morbidity and healthcare costs.
- Disparities in birth defect rates may exist among different ethnic and geographical groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the prevalence of birth defects in Inuit populations residing in Arctic Quebec and Nunavut with a general Canadian population.
- To identify specific types of birth defects that are disproportionately higher in the Inuit sample.
Main Methods:
- A chart review of 2567 live births of Inuit children (1989-1994) was conducted.
- Data was compared against the Alberta Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System (ACASS) rates.
Main Results:
- Inuit infants had nearly double the rate of total birth defects (99.7/1000 vs. 51.5/1000).
- Congenital heart defects were significantly increased in Inuit infants (22.9/1000 vs. 5.6/1000), especially ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and atrial septal defects (ASDs).
Conclusions:
- High rates of congenital heart defects contribute significantly to the elevated overall birth defect rate in the Inuit population.
- Potential contributing factors include genetic predisposition, low folate and vitamin A intake, and alcohol consumption.
- Optimizing periconceptional vitamin status may be a strategy to reduce birth defect rates.