Study of Selected Congenital Anomalies in Pennsylvania

A STUDY of selected types of congenital anomalies was undertaken by the Pennsyl¬ vania Department of Health.The five specific congenital defects selected for study.imper-forate anus, omphalocele, tracheo-esophageal fistula, diaphragmatic hernia, and intestinal obstruction.werechosen because they are usually discernible at birth and require im¬ mediate surgery or care to prevent the death of the newborn.Because these anomalies are more readily observed than less obvious defects, such as congenital defects of the circulatory system, they should be reported more completeljr on birth certificates and hospital records.We would thus be able to obtain more accurate counts of the number of these defects, their characteristics, and their frequency of occur¬ rence.By collecting data on these five congenital anomalies using birth and death certificates and hospital records, we could compute the fre¬ quency and rate of occurrence by type for use in program planning, measure the degree of reporting and accuracy of the birth certificate, and compile the characteristics of the newborn and his mother.