NCCBDRP

Mission

Our mission is to conduct epidemiologic research into the causes of birth defects, and to promote the use of research findings to enhance public health education and birth defects prevention efforts aimed at improving the health and quality of life of children in North Carolina and across the United States.

Read research from the NCCBDRP here: NCCBDRP PubMed Collection and NCCBDRP Research Collection with data other than NBDPS and BD-STEPS

Facts About Birth Defects

• • Approximately 120,000 infants are born with a birth defect in the US.
  • Most birth defects occur within the first 3 months of pregnancy, often before pregnancy is recognized.
  • Birth defects are a leading cause of infant death in the US. Approximately 1 in 5 infant deaths are attributed to a birth defect. Non-Hispanic Black infants have the highest rate of infant deaths attributable to birth defects.
  • Birth defects account for roughly 139,000 hospital stays each year in the US, which amounts to $2.6 billion in medical costs.
  • Most birth defects are likely caused by a complex interaction of environmental and genetic factors; however, the exact causes are largely unknown.
  • Birth defects can be critical lifelong conditions that may impact the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of individuals and their families.