title: Epidemiologic characteristics of birth defects in the Hainan Province from 2000 to 2010, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the prevalence of congenital malformations is high in China, little information is available on the Hainan Province.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data used in this study were collected from 2000 to 2010 by monitoring newborns (including both live births and stillbirths) in the Hainan Province. Comparison analyses were conducted by performing χ(2) tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed an increasing temporal trend of the birth defect prevalence in the Hainan Province; however, the rate of birth defects changed over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Hainan Province is confronted with the challenge to reduce the prevalence of birth defects. Interventions should focus on the rural areas where a higher prevalence of birth defects is observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Children Health Care, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Maternal and Children Health Care Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, China.
authors.forename: Lichun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yukai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: birth defects; congenital malformations; descriptive epidemiology; mother and child health