Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Spina Bifida by County, New Jersey, 2012-2021
Indicator Report Data View Options
Spina Bifida by County, New Jersey, 2012-2021
Why Is This Important?
Spina bifida is a neural tube defect caused by the failure of the fetus's spine to close properly during the first few week of pregnancy. Research with humans and animals suggests a genetic basis for the defect. It is considered likely that spina bifida results from the interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors. Research has shown that lack of folic acid is a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Supplementation of the mother's diet with folic acid can reduce the overall incidence of neural tube defects by about 70 percent.
Definition
Number of children born with spina bifida per 10,000 live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.
Data Notes
**Counts and rates are suppressed when counts are below 5 due to instability of rates. Observed differences in the annual frequency of a specific birth defect may be due to random variability.Data Sources
- Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health
(https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/) - Early Identification and Monitoring Program, Division of Family Health Services, New Jersey Department of Health
(https://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/eis/)
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
Number of children born with spina bifida among live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Denominator:
Count of all live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.
Related Health Objectives and Indicators
Environmental Public Health Tracking Indicator BD-2
Description: Prevalence of spina bifidahttps://ephtracking.cdc.gov/indicatorPages?selectedContentAreaAbbreviation=5&selectedIndicatorId=2