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Monitoring of congenital anomalies in Latvia
Insights
This study analyzed congenital anomaly monitoring in Latvia from 2000-2010, finding a slight decrease in prevalence. Improvements in data completeness and integration are recommended for better public health surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Congenital anomalies represent a significant public health concern, necessitating robust monitoring systems.
- Effective surveillance of congenital anomalies is crucial for understanding trends and informing interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe and analyze the characteristics of the congenital anomaly monitoring system in Latvia.
- To evaluate prevalence trends of congenital anomalies at birth in Latvia between 2000 and 2010.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of congenital anomaly data from national registers (Medical Birth Register, Register on Congenital Anomalies, National Causes of Death Register).
- Cross-sectional data on prevalence rates, including live birth prevalence, major congenital anomaly prevalence, and stillbirth rates.
- Analysis of methodological challenges in congenital anomaly surveillance.
Main Results:
- The live birth prevalence of congenital anomalies was 319.7 per 10,000 live births.
- Major congenital anomalies accounted for 211.4 per 10,000 live births.
- A slight decrease in live birth prevalence of congenital anomalies was observed from 2000 to 2010.
Conclusions:
- The current congenital anomaly registration system in Latvia requires enhancements for improved completeness.
- Recommendations include adopting a mother and child identification number and integrating data from various healthcare facilities.
- Expanding the monitoring system to include pregnancy terminations due to congenital anomalies is advised.
Objective:
This study provides a description and analysis of characteristics of the monitoring system for congenital anomalies at birth and prevalence trends in Latvia using retrospective analysis of congenital anomalies at birth with cross-sectional data on prevalence (national data from Latvia, 2000-2010).
Methods:
There are three main monitoring systems on congenital anomalies among newborns and infants: the Medical Birth Register with data on live births with one or more congenital anomalies at birth, the Register on Congenital Anomalies with genetically approved cases for live births and the National Causes of Death Register with data on stillbirths. Methodological problems were analysed by calculating different prevalence rates. The main outcome measures are as follows: prevalence rate, live birth prevalence rate, major congenital anomalies live birth prevalence rate, and stillbirth rate.
Results:
The live birth period prevalence was 319.7/10,000 live births, and the majoir congenital anomalies live birth prevalence was 211.4/10,000. The period total prevalence rate of births was.323.7/10,000 live births and stillbirths. The stillbirth rate due to congenital anomalies was 6.1/10,000 live and stillbirths. The live birth prevalence with congenital anomalies decreased slightly from the year 2000 tothe year 2010.
Conclusions:
The present system of congenital anomaly registration requires improvements for better completeness. Latvia should use the experience.of Nordic countries and introduce a mother's and children's identification number to the Medical Birth Register. It would be helpful to link the information from hospitals and perinatal centres together to validate the congenital anomaly diagnoses of newborns after their discharge from the maternity unit. The monitoring system should also include information on pregnancies with congenital anomalies which do not end in birth, especially terminations of pregnancy.
