Twenty-one years of monitoring congenital malformations (1974–1994): The Israel Birth Defects Monitoring System, affiliated with the International Clearinghouse

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Merlob, Paul^{; ; ;} | Dagan, David^{; ;} | Mogilner, Benjamin^; | Mulhbauer, Boaz^{; ;} | Sirota, Lea^{; ;}

Affiliations: Department of Neonatology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, Israel | Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, Israel | Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Tel Aviv, Israel | HaKirya Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel | Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Note: [] Correspondence: Prof. P. Merlob, Department of Neonatology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva 49 100, Israel. Tel.: +972 3 937 7473/2; Fax: +972 3 922 0068; E-mail: [email protected].

Note: [] Deceased.

Abstract: The first 21 years of monitoring of congenital malformations by a hospital-based program affiliated to the International Clearinghouse is analyzed. The foundation activities, methodology, data and time trends are presented and precautions in interpretation of this information are emphasized. The great majority of congenital malformations, including Down syndrome, have stable rates making the search of their causes and the development of intervention methods much harder. The practical implications of these data and the appropriate recommendations are discussed.

Keywords: Congenital malformations, monitoring, birth defects monitoring systems

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-1997-10402

Journal: International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 235-242, 1997