Objective To explore the general situation of birth defects and the spatial and temporal distribution of perinatal birth defects in Heyuan City, Guangdong Province, in order to provide evidence for the scientific prevention and control of birth defects.

Method  A retrospective research method was used to analyze perinatal birth defect surveillance data in Heyuan City from 2015 to 2022. The R4.3 software spdep package was utilized for spatial visualization and calculation of the Moran index to evaluate the spatial aggregation.

Result  From 2015 to 2022, a total of 309 789 perinatal cases were monitored in the birth defects monitoring hospital in Heyuan City, with 3 642 cases of perinatal birth defects were reported. The overall incidence rate of perinatal birth defects was 117.56 per 10 000. The top five birth defects were congenital heart disease, polydactyly, talipes equinovarus, syndactyly, and external ear malformations (excluding microtia and anotia). From 2015 to 2022, the incidence of congenital heart disease, polydactyly, talipes equinovarus showed an overall upward trend. The global Moran index (I = 0.18, P = 0.02) showed a weak positive correlation of birth defects incidence aggregation. The main diagnostic methods for birth defects in the city were ultrasound diagnosis, followed by clinical diagnosis, and then chromosome diagnosis. The proportion of chromosome and gene diagnosis increased in recent years. The average live birth rate of the children diagnosed with birth defects between 2015 and 2022 was 63.78%.

Conclusion  In the context of the increasing age of childbearing women and the continuous advancement of diagnostic technology, the incidence of birth defects in Heyuan is facing further upward pressure. To prevent and reduce birth defects, it is necessary to adhere to a comprehensive approach that combines prevention and control, precise policies, and coordinated control measures is essential.