A report released today by the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare (AIHW) presents information on 33 major birth defects
and shows that for many conditions, more males than females were
reported to have a congenital anomaly (59% versus 41%).
The report, Congenital anomalies in Australia
2002-2003, shows that the most commonly reported condition is
hypospadia (an abnormally-placed urinary opening in the male
urethra).
Conditions that affect both sexes, but are more prevalent in
boys, include congenital heart diseases, oesophageal defects and
kidney cysts.
Chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, are the second
most commonly reported congenital anomalies.
'For every 10,000 babies born during 2002-2003, about 11 were
born with Down syndrome,' said report author Samanthi
Abeywardana.
'When terminations of pregnancies were included, the total
estimated rate for Down syndrome was just over 26 per 10,000
pregnancies-an increase from previous reports.'
The risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases with age,
from a 1 in 1500 chance for mothers aged 20-24, to a 1 in 184
chance for women 40 and over.
Neural tube defects (such as spina bifida), limb defects, and
cleft lip and palate are also covered in the report.
The estimated prevalence of neural tube defects was about 10 per
10,000 pregnancies, about 13% less than the 1998-2001 period.
The rate of anencephaly, the most severe form of neural tube
defect, which is always fatal, declined from 5.1 per 10,000
pregnancies in 1998 to 3.8 per 10,000 pregnancies in 2003-a 25%
reduction.
'With the introduction of mandatory folate fortification in
bread flour in 2009, we expect that the rates of neural tube
defects will continue to decline,' Dr Abeywardana said.
A higher overall rate of congenital anomalies was reported for
the births to Indigenous women compared with non-Indigenous women
(356 per 10,000 births versus 308 per 10,000 births).
Nearly 72% of the Indigenous women whose pregnancies were
affected with a congenital anomaly were aged less than 30
years.
Four states collect and provide data on terminations of
pregnancy at less than 20 weeks with a diagnosis of congenital
anomaly. Data on terminations due to congenital anomaly is critical
in the monitoring the true prevalence of congenital anomalies such
as neural tube defects and chromosomal abnormalities.
Wednesday 14 May 2008
Further information: Dr Samanthi Abeywardana,
AIHW, mob. 0403 225 710, or Dr Elizabeth Sullivan, AIHW, 02 9382
1064.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for the availability of Congenital anomalies in
Australia 2002-2003.