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Congenital Clubfoot Prevalence and Folic Acid Supplementation - Five Counties, Shanxi Province, China, 2003-2024
Lirong Nie1,2, Yuwei Wu1,2, Lingzhang Wang1,2
1Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Insights
Congenital clubfoot prevalence is rising in China, particularly isolated cases since 2012. Non-isolated cases continue to decrease, indicating distinct trends for clubfoot subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Public Health Surveillance
- Birth Defect Epidemiology
Background:
- Congenital clubfoot is a frequent musculoskeletal birth defect with variable prevalence.
- Recent data indicate an increasing trend in congenital clubfoot incidence among newborns in China.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze temporal trends of congenital clubfoot subtypes in China.
- To investigate distinct epidemiological patterns between isolated and non-isolated congenital clubfoot.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of congenital clubfoot case data.
- Statistical trend analysis of isolated versus non-isolated congenital clubfoot incidence.
Main Results:
- A significant increasing trend observed in isolated congenital clubfoot cases post-2012.
- A continued declining trend noted for non-isolated congenital clubfoot cases.
- Distinct temporal patterns identified between congenital clubfoot subtypes.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights diverging trends in isolated and non-isolated congenital clubfoot.
- Ongoing surveillance is crucial for monitoring clubfoot subtype patterns.
- Further research is needed to identify factors driving the rise in isolated congenital clubfoot.
What Is Already Known About This Topic?:
Congenital clubfoot is a common musculoskeletal deformity and its prevalence varies across regions. In recent years, the overall prevalence of congenital clubfoot among perinatal infants has shown an upward trend in China.
What Is Added By This Report?:
This study demonstrated a significant increasing trend in isolated congenital clubfoot after 2012, whereas non-isolated cases continued to decline in the well-recognized high-prevalence region of birth defects in northern China, highlighting the distinct temporal patterns between congenital clubfoot subtypes.
What Are The Implications For Public Health Practice?:
Continued surveillance is needed to monitor changing patterns of congenital clubfoot subtypes and clarify factors underlying the increase in isolated congenital clubfoot.
