Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 21, 2025
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Assessing the Practice of Birth Defect Registration at Addis Ababa Health Facilities
Mekonen Eshete1,2, Fikre Abate2, Berhane Abera2
1Surgical Department, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Insights
Accurate birth defect registration is crucial for managing and preventing these conditions. However, a study in Addis Ababa found that only 3 of 37 facilities used a dedicated registry, highlighting a significant gap in congenital anomaly tracking.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Birth defects are structural changes present at birth, necessitating accurate tracking for management and prevention.
- Effective registration and analysis of birth defect data are vital for public health initiatives.
- This study evaluates current birth defect registration practices in Addis Ababa's health facilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current practices of birth defect registration in health facilities in Addis Ababa.
- To identify gaps and challenges in the existing birth defect data collection systems.
- To provide recommendations for improving birth defect surveillance.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of birth defect registry books and delivery room registration records.
- Assessment of data completeness for birth defect registration.
- Analysis of the number of registered birth defects between 2010 and 2015.
- Evaluation of 37 health facilities (20 public, 17 private) in Addis Ababa.
Main Results:
- Only 3 out of 37 assessed health facilities utilized a separate, dedicated birth defect registry book.
- 20 facilities registered birth defects using regular registration books, while 14 facilities (10 private, 4 public) did not register any congenital anomalies.
- A significant disparity exists in registration practices between public and private health institutions.
Conclusions:
- The current system for birth defect registration in Addis Ababa is inadequate, with a low adoption rate of dedicated registry books.
- There is an urgent need for health facilities to implement dedicated birth defect registries, ideally transitioning to electronic systems.
- Improved registration is essential for clinical governance, epidemiological studies, and enhancing the quality of care and life for affected individuals.
Background:
Birth defects are conditions that exist at birth and cause structural changes in one or more parts of the body. In order to plan proper management and design preventive activities of these conditions, accurate tracking, registration and analyses of the registered data are important. We assessed the practice of birth defect registration at Addis Ababa health facilities.
Methods:
We retrospectively checked the existence of a separate birth defect registry book and assessed the delivery room registration book for completeness in registering birth defects. We also assessed the total number of birth defects registered during 2010-2015.
Results:
We assessed the practice of birth defect registration at 37 delivery service providing health facilities in Addis Ababa, 20 public and 17 private institutions. Of the 37 health institutions assessed, 23 registered birth defects (3 of them used a separate birth defect registry books, and 20 used a regular registration book to register birth defects). The remaining 14 did not register any congenital anomaly. Of the institutions that do not register congenital anomalies, 10 are private and four are public.
Conclusion:
Only three delivery providing health facilities had a dedicated birth defect registry book which is close to ideal for a birth defect registration. There is a need for others to do the same until an electronic birth defect registration is established. This registration will serve as a resource for clinical governance and studies into quality of life, quality of care, etiology and prevention.
Related Concept Videos
01:07Teratogenicity
01:23Assessment of Respiration
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like...
01:05Data Collection III
The principles to begin the physical assessment include conducting a comprehensive or problem-related history in a quiet, well-lit room, emphasizing privacy and comfort for the...
01:24Data Reporting and Recording
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:23Methods of Documentation V: CBE
In CBE, healthcare professionals establish predefined standards of practice that define what constitutes...