[Birth defects occurrence in the Czech Republic in 2003]

An analysis of birth defects occurrence in the Czech Republic in 2003 and a comparison to data from 1996-2002.

A retrospective analysis of data from a National Register of Congenital Anomalies of the Czech Republic.

Data on birth defects in the Czech Republic from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics-National Register of Congenital Anomalies from the 1996-2003 period were used and an analysis of incidences of selected types of birth defects was performed.

There were 25,593 children born with a birth defect (14,896 boys and 10,690 girls, in 7 cases the sex was undetermined). A mean incidence of birth defects was 405.2/10,000 live births and remains more or less stable compared to the years 2002 and 2001 (4043/10,000 and 407.9/10,000 live births respectively).

Current data on birth defects in 2003 in the Czech Republic are presented with a comparison to a 8-year period. An analysis of temporal and demographic changes in birth defects incidences is given along with data on prenatal diagnostics and its role in birth defects decrease.