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Data and Statistics on Birth Defects

Jan. 9, 2026

Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part of the body, such as the heart, brain, or foot.
National estimates of the frequency of birth defects use data from state birth defects tracking systems.
These tables present current national estimates of certain birth defects in the United States

Doctor sitting at a laptop, with a graphic of a survey layered over the photo.

National estimates by birth defect

Infographic with text that reads "1 in 33 babies is born with a birth defect in the U.S. each year" and a list of the 5 Most Common defects — Birth defects affect families across the United States

Jan. 9, 2026

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Content Source:

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

Sources

Stallings, E. B., Isenburg, J. L., Rutkowski, R. E., Kirby, R. S., Nembhard, W.N., Sandidge, T., Villavicencio, S., Nguyen, H. H., McMahon, D. M., Nestoridi, E., Pabst, L. J. National population-based estimates for major birth defects, 2016–2020. Birth Defects Research. 2024 Jan;116(1), e2301.