Birth Defects

Many studies have shown relationships between race/ethnicity and some birth defects. For example, white teenagers have higher rates of gastroschisis than African-American teenagers 1 , and transposition of great arteries is more prevalent in white than non-white children 2 .The Louisiana Birth Defects Monitoring Network (LBDMN) is a population-based surveillance system created in 2005. LBDMN actively collects information from multiple sources to track babies born with birth defects up to three years old in the state. Racial disparity in birth defects has never been evaluated using birth defects surveillance data in Louisiana. Findings from this study are expected to help LBDMN and Louisiana Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Program better understand variations in the prevalence of some birth defects among certain racial/ethnic groups in the state.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate relationships between race/ethnicity and selected major birth defects using 2006-2008 Louisiana birth defects surveillance data.

The variation in prevalence rates of ASD across different states may either indicate true differences across states or represent an artifact of case identification. Specification of the evaluative process by which cases are coded is necessary when comparing the ASD prevalence rates across states and provides insight awareness when evaluating for differences in ASD occurrences.

Objective

To define whether use of different coding systems for state birth defects surveillance systems influenced prevalence rates of Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) reported between 2005 and 2009 in the United States

As a part of the Zika Birth Defects Surveillance, a national effort coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NYC is conducting enhanced surveillance of all births with defects included in the congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) phenotype among infants born in NYC beginning in 2016. The intent of the project is to provide background on the prevalence of these conditions, regardless of cause. The surveillance project builds on the New York State (NYS) Congenital Malformations Registry, a passive, mandatory reporting system that relies on reporting from hospitals and providers. For the Surveillance project, potential cases of Zika-related birth defects (ZBD) are identified by hospital and administrative data of birth records with one or more of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic codes associated with CZS.1 The list of included diagnostic codes was specified by the NYS registry following guidance established by CDC. Full medical record chart abstraction of the birth hospital visit of potential cases is then conducted applying further inclusion guidelines to identify ZBD cases. Recent reports of late presentation of birth defects consistent with CZS suggest that some cases are being missed due to identification and diagnosis of the condition after birth.2 As one component of a broader strategy to obtain a more accurate surveillance count, we seek to identify potential ZBD cases first diagnosed in the 6-month postpartum period using Medicaid claims data.

Objective:

To assess the use of Medicaid claims data to conduct surveillance for cases of Zika-related birth defects identified after birth among infants born in New York City (NYC).