Abstract
Objective: To analyze an efficiency of prenatal diagnostics of selected types of birth defects in the Czech Republic in 1994 - 2006 period. Design: A retrospective epidemiological study and a prenatal diagnostics efficiency analysis.
Setting: Department of Medical Genetics, Thomayer's University Hospital, Prague. Chair of Medical Genetics, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Prague, Czech Republic.
Methods: Data were collected from National Birth Defects Register (Institute of Health Information and Statistics). Incidences of selected types of birth defects were analyzed.
Results: In 1994 - 2006, totally 1 132 567 children were born in the Czech Republic, out of which more than 42 000 with a birth defect. A mean incidence was 339 per 10 000 live births with a maximum of 414.58 per 10 000 in 2003.
In the same time period, 6113 cases of birth defect prenatal diagnostics (49.3 per 10 000 live biths) were reported. Conclusion: In a comparison of 1980 - 1993 and 1994 - 2006 periods, a significant increase of prenatal diagnostics efficiency was recorded.