HC Deb 17 March 2004 vol 419 c296W
Mrs. Iris Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many birth defects there were in Northern Ireland in each year since 1999. [1606221]

Angela Smith

Information on all birth defects is not available. However, information is collected by the Chief Medical Officer on the number of children born each year suffering from a number of selected congenital malformations in Northern Ireland. This information for the years 1999 to 2003 is as follows.

Number of Selected Congenital Malformations, 1999 to 2003
Anencephalus Hydrocephalus Spina Bifida Downs Syndrome
1999 5 13 8 27
2000 0 13 9 32
2001 5 11 13 36
20021 6 9 9 34
20031 3 6 12 32
1 Figures not yet published by CMO.

Source: Northern Ireland Child Health System