[Dynamic variation of incidence of neural tube defects during 1988 to 1992 in China]

Abstract

Objective: To study the variation trend in incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) during 1988 to 1992 in China.

Methods: Data were collected by hospital-based monitoring, with women of gestation of 28 weeks to seven days after birth as study subjects. And, 3,246,408 perinates were monitored in the National Birth Defect Monitoring Network in 30 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions all over the country, and 7,778 cases of NTDs during 1988 to 1992 were recorded and analyzed.

Results: Incidence of NTDs was 18.0 per ten thousand in 1992, 28.9% reduction from 25.3 per ten thousand in 1988, and yearly average reduction of 8.2%. Incidence of NTDs decreased by 30.5% and 34.2% in rural and urban areas, respectively, by 30.5% and 27.8% in the north and the south, respectively, and incidence of anencephaly and encephalocele fell by 34.2% and 48.5%, respectively.

Conclusion: Incidence of NTDs showed a falling trend in China, more decrease in rural area and in the north than in urban areas and in the south, respectively, and incidence of anencephaly and encephalocela fell faster.