[Mortality from congenital malformations in children under 5 years old in China, 1996-2006]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Mortality
• Congenital Malformations
• Public Health Surveillance

Context:

• Child mortality surveillance data from 1996-2006 across 116 Chinese counties.
• Analysis focused on under-5 mortality rates specifically attributed to birth defects.

Purpose:

• To investigate trends and patterns in mortality caused by congenital malformations in children under five years old in China.
• To analyze the changing proportion of congenital malformation deaths within overall under-5 mortality.

Summary:

• National under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) due to birth defects declined from 412.0 to 342.2 per 100,000 live births between 1996 and 2006.
• The decline was more pronounced from 2003-2006, observed across urban, coastal, and inland regions.
• Rural and remote areas exhibited higher mortality rates compared to urban and coastal/inland regions, respectively.
• Crucially, the proportion of total under-5 deaths attributed to congenital malformations increased from 9.2% to 14.4% during the study period.

Impact:

• Findings indicate a significant increase in the relative contribution of congenital malformations to overall child mortality in China.
• Highlights the need for targeted interventions and improved healthcare strategies to reduce mortality from birth defects.
• Suggests disparities in mortality rates exist between different regions and urban/rural settings within China.