Abstract
BackgroundThere currently exists no data on birth defects from population-based studies in Vietnam. Our study's aim was to assess external birth defect (EBD) prevalence among live newborns in Binh Thuan Province in Vietnam with the help of health workers at all levels of the health system.MethodsA 2-month training session for 452 health professionals (HP) practicing delivery care in 127 Commune Health Stations (CHS) and in 12 provincial or district hospitals (DH) was setup in 2006. After a successful 6-month pilot study, a one-year registry of EBDs was established in 2008. All live newborns were screened for EBDs within 24 hours after birth in all DH obstetric departments and in all CHSs. Trained local HPs collected information by filling out a predesigned form and by photographing the affected newborn. EBDs were coded using the International Classification of Diseases system-10, Clinical Modification. The study was repeated in 2010.ResultsThroughout 2010, out of a total of 13,954 newborns, 84 cases with one or more EBDs were reported, representing an overall prevalence rate of 60.2 per 10,000 live births. The most common groups of EBDs were limbs (27.2/10,000), orofacial clefts (20.1/10,000) and the central nervous system (7.9/10,000).ConclusionsThis first population-based study in Vietnam, which required coordination efforts at the local level, provides baseline prevalences of external birth defects. Data on EBDs from this study in southern Vietnam may be useful for setting up a regional population-based registry of birth defects in Vietnam.
Highlights
There currently exists no data on birth defects from population-based studies in Vietnam
These organizations are: the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR), which has 46 members representing 31 countries spread across the five continents [9], and the European Registration of Congenital Anomalies and Twins (EUROCAT), which has 43 members in 23 countries [10]
When an External Birth Defects (EBDs) was suspected, a detailed clinical description of the EBD was collected and a photo of EBD was taken by a trained local health professional
Summary
There currently exists no data on birth defects from population-based studies in Vietnam. There are only two organizations in cooperation with the WHOs Human Genetics Programme in order to establish a registry of birth defects. These organizations are: the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR), which has 46 members representing 31 countries spread across the five continents [9], and the European Registration of Congenital Anomalies and Twins (EUROCAT), which has 43 members in 23 countries [10]. EUROCAT registries follow standardized guidelines and use multiple-source case ascertainment methods They include all infants, including still births (from 20 weeks gestation), with anomalies diagnosed within the first year of life. The criteria that must be met by registries participating in EUROCAT include a definition of the population, data collection and ascertainment, definition and coding of defects, calculation of prevalence rates, and confidentiality [8]
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