title: Increased prevalence of some birth defects in Korea, 2009-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Birth defects are a leading cause of neonatal and infant mortality, and several studies have indicated an increase in the prevalence of birth defects; more recent investigations have suggested that the trends of some defects are increasing in rapidly industrialized areas. This study estimates the prevalence rate and types of birth defects in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used medical insurance benefit data of 403,250 infants aged less than one year from the National Health Insurance Corporation from seven metropolitan areas in Korea for 2009 and 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of birth defects was 548.3 per 10,000 births (95% CI: 541.1-555.6), 306.8 among boys and 241.5 among girls. Anomalies of the circulatory system (particularly septal defects) were the most common (180.8 per 10,000), followed by defects of the genitourinary tract (130.1 per 10,000) (particularly obstructive genitourinary and undescended testis), musculoskeletal system (105.7 per 10,000), digestive system (24.7 per 10,000), and central nervous system (15.6 per 10,000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relatively higher rates of some birth defects were found in the metropolitan areas. The high differences of birth prevalences for septal heart defects and undescended testis are probably due in part to progress in clinical management and more frequent prenatal diagnosis. Environmental exposure might play a critical role in the development of some birth defects. In attempting to describe the prevalence and spatio-temporal variations of birth defects in Korea, establishment of a registry system of birth defects and environmental surveillance are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Dirga Kumar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lamichhane
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea. ekeeper@inha.ac.kr.|Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, 7-206 3rd St. Shinhung Dong, Jung Gu, Incheon, Korea. ekeeper@inha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jong-Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Leem
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Myungsook
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Ae
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.|Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, 7-206 3rd St. Shinhung Dong, Jung Gu, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Bioscience & Biotechnology, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05006, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance
keywords: Birth defects; Korea; Prevalence