Results from our 2015 Registry report provides data on the most frequently reported birth defects. This lists the structural and functional birth defects reported to the registry by frequency. Of course, the functional problems far outnumber the structural birth defects.
Since October of 2015, parents have completed 3983 questionnaires with case reports for 4529 children (more than one child in a family can be reported on a questionnaire) in the on-‐line National Birth Defect Registry. We have reports for 2372 males, 2144 females and 13 cases where the sex was not entered.
See our full report for details
List of Birth Defects | Count |
Allergies | 1048 |
Motor Skills Delay | 938 |
Speech Delay | 858 |
Reflux | 850 |
Speech | 765 |
Frequent Ear Infections | 660 |
Depression | 644 |
Asthma | 633 |
Anxiety Disorder | 627 |
Anger | 595 |
Mood Swings | 592 |
Frequent Upper Respiratory Infections | 574 |
Frequent Headaches | 565 |
Comprehension | 555 |
Joint Pain | 553 |
Spelling/Writing | 533 |
Math | 530 |
Eczema | 505 |
Sleep Disorder | 494 |
Muscle Pain/Weakness | 486 |
Attention Deficit With Hyperactivity | 484 |
Colic As Baby | 479 |
Memory Problems | 477 |
Chronic Stomach Problems | 475 |
Food Sensitivity | 468 |
Drug Reaction | 460 |
Distractibility | 455 |
Scoliosis | 444 |
Jaundice At Birth | 434 |
Heart Murmur | 432 |
Language Processing | 425 |
Heat/Cold Sensitivity | 372 |
Menstrual Problems | 358 |
Obsessive/Compulsive | 346 |
Hay Fever (Allergic Rhinitus) | 340 |
Abnormal Teeth | 331 |
Sensory Integration Dysfunction | 323 |
Attention Deficit Without Hyperactivity | 320 |
Retardation | 319 |
Dyslexia/Reading | 311 |
Gastroschisis | 307 |
Seizure Disorder | 294 |
Vision Defect | 291 |
Malformed Fingers, Hands Or Arms | 289 |
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | 289 |
Frequent Urinary Tract Infections | 288 |
Partial Hearing Loss | 275 |
Astigmatism | 270 |
Acne-‐Like Rash | 263 |
Light Sensitivity | 262 |
Cleft Palate | 257 |
Hypotonia (Floppy Muscles) | 247 |
Anemia | 240 |
Strawberry Birth Mark | 237 |
Muscle (Absent Or Underdeveloped) | 232 |
Auditory Processing Deficit | 231 |
Malformed Toes, Feet Or Legs | 229 |
Undescended Testicles | 220 |
Hives | 220 |
Arthritis | 220 |
Clubfoot | 213 |
Latex | 213 |
Unexplained Fevers | 213 |
Apnea | 213 |
Thyroid Defect | 211 |
Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) | 210 |
High Arched Palate | 209 |
Unexplained Fevers | 209 |
Ovarian Cyst | 207 |
Bi-‐Polar | 201 |
Ventricular Septal Defect | 190 |
Malformations Of Vertebrae | 187 |
Frequent Nose Bleeds | 187 |
Autism | 185 |
Walks On Tiptoes | 185 |
Visual Memory Deficits | 182 |
Hydrocephalus | 174 |
Frequent Pneumonia | 174 |
Facial Asymmetry | 173 |
Atrial Septal Defect | 171 |
Hair Loss | 169 |
Low Set Ears | 166 |
Lung (Absent Or Underdeveloped) | 164 |
Cleft Lip | 164 |
External Ear Or Ears (Absent of Malformed) | 162 |
Oppositional Defiant Disorder | 158 |
Spina Bifida | 152 |
Tethered Spinal Cord | 151 |
Hypertension | 140 |
Immune Deficiency | 140 |
Autoimmune Disorder | 140 |
Cerebral Palsy | 138 |
Infertility | 134 |
Rib Abnormality | 131 |
Tracheoesophageal Fistula | 131 |
Dislocated Hip | 130 |
Syndactyly (Webbed Fingers Or Toes) | 129 |
Micrognathia (Small Jaw) | 129 |
Diabetes | 128 |
Microcephaly | 127 |
Chiari Malformation | 127 |
Strabismus | 123 |
Imperforate Anus | 121 |
Breaks Law/Rules Of Society | 119 |
Umbilical Hernia | 117 |
Early Puberty | 117 |
Cafe Au Lait Birth Mark | 115 |
Psoriasis | 112 |
Hypoactivity | 112 |
Delayed Puberty | 110 |
Diaphragmatic Hernia | 109 |
Neurogenic Bladder | 109 |
Early Tooth Eruption | 108 |
Chronic Tinnitus (Ringing In Ears) | 107 |
Reduction Deformity Upper Limb | 105 |
Manic Depression | 103 |
Swollen/Or Bleeding Gums | 102 |
Changes In Skin Color | 102 |
In Utero Growth Retardation | 101 |
Endometriosis | 99 |
Thrush/Chronic Candida | 98 |
Borderline Personality Disorder | 97 |
Internal Ear Or Ears (Absent or Malformed) | 96 |
Dysmorphic Features | 96 |
Perseveration | 95 |
Absence Corpus Callosum | 93 |
Chromosome Disorder | 93 |
Deafness | 92 |
Hiatal Hernia | 89 |
Bony Defect Of Skull | 89 |
Absent Kidney | 88 |
Small Sex Organs | 88 |
Hypoglycemia | 86 |
Ear Tag(S) | 85 |
PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder) | 84 |
Goldenhar (Hemifacial Microsomia) | 83 |
Anencephaly | 82 |
Malformed Ureter | 82 |
Vater (Vacterl) | 81 |
Reduction Deformity Lower Limb | 79 |
Malformed Kidney | 79 |
Skin Fungus | 79 |
Apraxia | 79 |
Craniosynostosis | 76 |
Asperger | 75 |
Patent Ductus Arteriosus | 75 |
Cardiac Arrhythmia | 73 |
Pectus Excavatum | 72 |
Spina Bifida Occulta | 71 |
Chronic Virus | 71 |
Hypospadias | 69 |
Blind | 68 |
Sensorineural Hearing Loss | 68 |
Facial Bone Deformity | 67 |
Hemangioma | 66 |
Prune Belly | 66 |
Rheumatoid Arthritis | 66 |
Contractures Of Elbows/Knees/Joints | 65 |
Growth Hormone Deficiency | 65 |
Constitutional Short Stature | 65 |
Ganglion Cyst | 63 |
Nystagmus | 62 |
Clubfoot With Bone Deformity | 61 |
Inguinal Hernia | 60 |
Malformed Sex Organs | 60 |
Mitral Valve Prolapse | 59 |
Aortic Valve Stenosis/Atresia | 56 |
Neurogenic Bowel | 55 |
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome | 54 |
Amniotic Band | 54 |
Poland’s | 53 |
Pectoralis (Absent Or Underdeveloped) | 52 |
Brain Cyst | 52 |
Cataract | 51 |
Port Wine Stain | 51 |
Pituitary Defect | 51 |
Tetralogy Of Fallot | 50 |
Pulmonary Hypertension | 50 |
Broncho-‐pulmonary Dysplasia | 49 |
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis/Atresia | 49 |
Lipoma | 49 |
Polydactyly (Extra Digits) | 48 |
Facial Nerve Paralysis | 48 |
Coarctation Of Aorta | 47 |
Rectal And/Or Intestinal Atresia | 47 |
Pierre Robin | 47 |
Liver Function Disorder | 46 |
Single Umbilical Artery | 44 |
Pyloric Stenosis | 43 |
Twisted Lower Limb | 42 |
Pigeon Chest | 42 |
Aphasia | 42 |
Coloboma | 41 |
Cortical Blindness | 40 |
Encephalocele | 40 |
Clubbed Hands | 40 |
Transposition Great Arteries | 40 |
Optic Nerve Atrophy | 39 |
Thin Corpus Callosum | 38 |
Polycystic Kidney | 38 |
Macrocephaly | 37 |
Bicuspid Aortic Valve | 37 |
Hepatomegaly (Enlarged Liver) | 37 |
Anorexia Or Bulimia | 37 |
Down Syndrome | 36 |
Schizophrenia | 36 |
Bradycardia | 34 |
Horseshoe Kidney | 34 |
Holoprosencephaly | 33 |
Spondylolisthesis | 33 |
Ptosis | 33 |
Mitral Valve Regurgitation | 32 |
Dermoid Cysts | 31 |
Bladder Exstrophy | 31 |
Glaucoma | 30 |
Diabetes Insipidus | 29 |
Hirschsprung’s Disease | 28 |
Crohn’s Disease | 28 |
Spinal Muscular Atrophy | 27 |
Micropthalmia | 27 |
Exotropia | 27 |
Splenomegaly (Enlarged Spleen) | 27 |
Trisomy | 27 |
Sacral Agenesis | 26 |
Hypertelorism | 26 |
Hydrocele | 26 |
Ataxia | 25 |
Syringomyelia | 25 |
Omphalocele | 25 |
Cystic Hygroma | 25 |
Short Bowel | 25 |
Thyroid | 25 |
MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) | 25 |
Intrauterine Stroke | 24 |
Arthrogryposis | 24 |
Absent Gallbladder | 24 |
Ehlers-‐Danlos | 22 |
Clinodactyly | 21 |
Septo-‐Optic Dysplasia | 21 |
Preauricular Pits | 21 |
Pulmonary Atresia/Hypoplasia | 21 |
Leukemia | 21 |
Dandy Walker Malformation | 20 |
Cerebellar Hypoplasia | 20 |
Muscular Dystrophy | 19 |
Cardiomyopathy | 19 |
Double Outlet Right Ventricle | 19 |
Overgrowth Of Lower Limb | 18 |
Choanal Atresia | 18 |
Ambiguous Genitalia | 18 |
Schizencephaly | 17 |
Neurofibromatosis | 17 |
Potter | 17 |
Pilonidal Cyst | 17 |
Tricuspid Valve Stenosis/Atresia | 16 |
Pulmonary Artery Anomaly | 16 |
Dextrocardia | 16 |
Bicornuate Uterus | 16 |
Dysthymia | 16 |
Primary Immune Defect | 16 |
Delayed Myelination | 15 |
Lipomyelomeningocele | 15 |
Tourette Syndrome | 15 |
Turner’s | 15 |
Absence Of Septum Pellucidum | 14 |
Hemihypertrophy | 14 |
Sarcoma | 14 |
Lissencephaly | 13 |
Periventricular Leukomalacia | 13 |
Overgrowth Of Upper Limb | 13 |
Absent Bladder | 13 |
Digeorge | 13 |
Charge | 13 |
Edwards | 13 |
Overgrowth (Giant) | 13 |
Hypogammaglobulinemia | 13 |
Anophthalmia (Missing Eye) | 12 |
Cardiomegaly | 12 |
Mitral Valve Stenosis | 12 |
Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome | 12 |
Peripheral Pulmonary Stenosis | 12 |
Epispadias | 12 |
Teratomas | 12 |
Twisted Upper Limb | 11 |
Macrostomia | 11 |
Vascular Ring | 11 |
Cloacal Anomaly | 11 |
Pseudotumor Cerebri | 11 |
Caudal Regression | 11 |
Spastic Paralysis | 10 |
Static Encephalopathy | 10 |
Klippel-‐Feil | 10 |
Osteogenesis Imperfecta | 10 |
Wolff-‐Parkinson-‐White | 10 |
CMV Virus | 10 |
Neuroblastoma | 10 |
Endocardial Cushion Defect | 9 |
Ebstein | 9 |
Biliary Atresia | 9 |
Lymphangioma | 9 |
Achondroplastic Dwarfism | 9 |
Hydranencephaly | 8 |
Chondromalacia Patella | 8 |
Noonan | 8 |
Williams | 8 |
Hodgkins Disease | 8 |
Macroglossia | 7 |
Truncus Arteriosus | 7 |
Duane Refraction | 7 |
Lymphoma | 7 |
Polysplenia | 6 |
Cloacal Exstrophy | 6 |
Beckwith-‐Wiedemann | 6 |
Cystic Fibrosis | 6 |
Klippel-‐Trenaunay-‐Weber | 6 |
Non-‐Hodgkins Lymphoma | 6 |
Addison’s | 6 |
Hyperpigmentation Of Gums | 5 |
Lamellar Ichthyosis | 5 |
Cornelia De Lange | 5 |
Treacher Collins | 5 |
Moebius | 5 |
Prader-‐Willi | 5 |
Klinefelter | 5 |
Cushing | 5 |
Lennox-‐Gastaut | 5 |
Stickler | 5 |
Astrocytoma | 5 |
Hemimegalencephaly | 4 |
Leukodystrophy | 4 |
Myoblastoma | 4 |
Marfan | 4 |
Crouzon | 4 |
Albinism | 4 |
Ectodermal Dysplasia | 4 |
Porencephaly | 3 |
Absent Spleen | 3 |
Anorchia (Absence Of Testes) | 3 |
Cavernous Hemangioma | 3 |
Apert | 3 |
Tar | 3 |
Fragile X | 3 |
Holt-‐Oram | 3 |
Sids | 3 |
Colon Cancer | 3 |
Tuberous Sclerosis | 2 |
PDD/NOS | 2 |
Exophthalmos | 2 |
Angelman | 2 |
Fetal Hydantoin | 2 |
Cri Du Chat | 2 |
Aicardi | 2 |
Alagille | 2 |
Horner | 2 |
Kabuki | 2 |
Larsen | 2 |
Rett Syndrome | 2 |
Sturge-‐Weber | 2 |
Nail-‐Patella | 1 |
Fetal Valproate | 1 |
Fryns | 1 |
Miller-‐Dieker | 1 |
Orofacialdigital | 1 |
Smith-‐Lemli-‐Opitz | 1 |
Walker-‐Warburg | 1 |
Wilms Tumor | 1 |
Hepatoblastoma | 1 |
Retinoblastoma | 1 |