Haryana Initiates Birth Defect Surveillance In India as Primary Prevention Tool

Nearly 7700 children die every year due to neural tube defect, Down syndrome and about 1% newborn were admitted or diagnosed with birth defects.

Haryana collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) to initiate statewide birth defect surveillance in India.

Director National Health Mission Inoshi Sharma, said there are 1.7 million children born in India with Congenital Birth Defect (CBD) and it accounts for six percent of the total births. Twenty five percent of the CBD comprise congenital heart disease, neural tube defect, and Down syndrome.

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Suresh Dalpath, Deputy Director, Child Health, Haryana said in Haryana, birth defect data is being captured from various sources like anemia tracking module, home based post natal care, Special New-born Care Units.

Birth Defect Surveillance (BDS) training is intended to serve as a tool to establish hospital based surveillance and severe congenital anomalies that will be captured during the first few days following birth serving as a potential for primary prevention.

Source-Medindia

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A structural birth defect means that a specific body part is missing or mal-formed during the embryonic development.

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Birth defects are abnormalities of function, structure or metabolism that are present since birth. Taking certain drugs during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

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Birth defects caused due to environmental teratogens like drugs, microorganisms or exposure to radiation are called as environmental birth defects.