Surveillance results of birth defects among 831 819 perinatal infants in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, 2013 − 2022

Objective To analyze the situation of perinatal birth defects in Quanzhou, Fujian Province from 2013 to 2022, so as to provide evidence for prevention and control of birth defects in this area.

Methods Data of perinatal birth defects from 30 birth defects monitoring hospitals in Quanzhou from January 2013 to December 2022 were collected, and the incidence, characteristics of distribution and occurrence sequence of birth defects were statistically analyzed.

Results A total of 831 819 perinatal infants were born and 15 376 birth defects among them were found in Quanzhou from 2013 to 2022. The average incidence of birth defects was 184.85/10 000, and it increased year by year (\chi _\texttrend^2 = 4 519.609, P < 0.001). The incidence of perinatal birth defects in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas (χ² = 135.784, P < 0.001). The incidence of birth defects in males was higher than that in females (χ² = 67.597, P < 0.001). The incidence of birth defects varied depending on the age of the mothers (χ² = 582.608, P < 0.001), with the highest incidence of birth defects observed in mothers of advanced age ( ≥ 35 years old). Top 5 birth defects in Quanzhou from 2013 to 2022 were congenital heart disease, polydactyly (toe), other external ear malformations, syndactyly (toe), and cleft lip. The incidence of congenital heart disease and syndactyly showed an upward trend, while the incidence of cleft lip and palate, hydrocephalus, and rectoanal atresia/stenosis showed a downward trend from 2013 to 2022. The incidence of other deformities of the external ear had been increasing, while the incidence of cleft lip, hypospadias, and clubfoot had been fluctuating since 2017.

Conclusion The situation of birth defects prevention and control is not optimistic in Quanzhou. Comprehensive prevention and control measures should be continuously promoted, especially to strengthen monitoring and prevention of congenital heart disease, syndactyly (toe), and the other external ear malformations, and pay attention to the problem of elderly parturients, so as to further reduce the incidence of birth defects.