[Prevalence and trend analysis of severe multiple disabling birth defects in Chongqing City from 2007 to 2020]

Q X Song1, L Yang2, M Feng2

  • 1Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.

Insights

Severe disabling birth defects in Chongqing decreased significantly from 2007-2020, with notable declines in neural tube defects and limb shortening. However, severe congenital heart disease incidence rose, indicating a need for targeted prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Medical Genetics

Background:

  • Severe multiple disabling birth defects pose a significant public health challenge.
  • Understanding trends and risk factors is crucial for effective prevention and control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and temporal trends of severe multiple disabling birth defects in Chongqing City between 2007 and 2020.
  • To identify demographic and regional variations in incidence.
  • To inform public health policy for birth defect prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of hospital monitoring data for 1,103 children with severe multiple disabling birth defects in Chongqing (2007-2020).
  • Data stratified by year, perinatal gender, maternal residence (urban/rural), maternal age, and region.
  • Statistical analysis included Chi-square tests for categorical comparisons and linear trend tests for temporal analysis.

Main Results:

  • Overall incidence decreased by 60.02% from 17.96/10,000 in 2007 to 7.18/10,000 in 2020.
  • Higher incidence observed in urban areas compared to rural areas.
  • Incidence showed a U-shaped curve with maternal age, peaking in the youngest (<20) and oldest (≥35) groups.
  • Significant declines noted in neural tube defects, chromosome syndromes, limb shortening, and abdominal wall defects.
  • A substantial increase of 456.16% was observed in severe congenital heart disease incidence.

Conclusions:

  • The overall incidence of severe disabling birth defects in Chongqing has declined between 2007 and 2020.
  • Significant regional and maternal age-related disparities persist.
  • The rising trend of severe congenital heart disease warrants urgent attention and targeted interventions.