What birth defects data are available on the data portal?
Prevalence rates for 12 different birth defects (Prevalence rates tell you how often a birth defect occurs in every 10,000 live births.)
- Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
- Anencephaly
- Cleft Lip with and without Cleft Palate
- Cleft Palate without Cleft Lip
- Gastroschisis
- Upper Limb Reduction Deformities
- Lower Limb Reduction Deformities
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- Transposition of Great Vessels
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Hypospadias
- Spina Bifida
Data are available for single and combined years for 2003-2017.
Why track birth defects?
There are many possible causes of birth defects. In some cases, environmental factors may cause birth defects, but more research is needed to better understand this relationship. The Maine Tracking Network tracks birth defects so that the data can be compared with other environmental and health outcome indicators.