A sentinel component of Public Health is surveillance. In Florida, approximately one-fifth of infant deaths and 25-30% of pediatric hospital admissions are attributed to birth defects. The Florida Birth Defects Registry (FBDR) was initiated to provide surveillance for birth defects and to better inform health professionals and the public about the magnitude and trends of birth defects in the state.
In its first year of existence, the Florida Birth Defects Registry documented 189,134 live births and fetal deaths. Approximately 2.1 percent of these had major birth defects. Cigarette smoking has long been associated with low birth weight. Alcohol abuse has been associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In it’s first year existence, the FBDR has identified a number of relationships between cigarette smoking, maternal alcohol use, and other birth defects. An increased odds ratio for Atrial Septal Defects (1.52) and Down’s syndrome (1.59) was found with maternal alcohol use. The odds ratios for Spina Bifida (1.51) and Cleft Lip (1.46) were elevated among children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy. Babies born to mothers who had maternal (gestational) diabetes had an increased risk (OR=3.55) for Renal Agenesis
Additional measures of association will be presented along with year 2 data and other indices of risk.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant sill be able to recognize the relationship of alcohol use during pregnancy to various forms of birth defects. The participant will be able to recognize and discuss the relationship of maternal tobacco use to subsequent birth defects in the newborn. At the conclusion of the session the participant will be able to discuss the drawbacks in the use of vital statistics for etiological research
Keywords: Alcohol Use, Tobacco
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.