Data & Statistics on Birth Defects
Birth defects are common, costly, and critical. Read below for the latest national statistics on the occurrence of birth defects in the United States.
For data on specific birth defects, please visit the specific birth defects pages.
In the United States
- Birth defects affect one in every 33 babies (about 3% of all babies) born in the United States each year. [Read article]
- Birth defects are the leading cause of infant deaths, accounting for 20% of all infant deaths. [Read article pdf icon[PDF – 994 KB]]
brain icon Brain/Spine Defects
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 4,647 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
847
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 10,502 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
375
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 2,758 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,427
eye icon Eye Defects
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 5,243 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
751
heartbeat icon Heart Defects
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,859 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
2,118
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,795 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
2,194
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 15,696 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
251
Specific Defect
Double outlet right ventricle
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 5,997 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
656
Specific Defect
Ebstein anomaly
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 13,047 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
302
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 3,841 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,025
Specific Defect
Interrupted aortic arch
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 16,066 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
245
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,052 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
3,742
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 7,104 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
554
Specific Defect
Single ventricle
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 13,351 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
295
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 2,171 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,813
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 7,809 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
504
Specific Defect
Transposition of the great arteries
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 2,695 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,461
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 3,413 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,153
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 5,938 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
663
Specific Defect
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 9,751 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
404
user icon Mouth/Face Defects
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,563 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
2,518
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 2,807 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,402
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,687 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
2,333
stomach solid icon Stomach/Intestine Defects
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 4,144 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
950
Specific Defects
Rectal and large intestinal atresia/stenosis
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 2,242 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,756
baby icon Muscle/Bone Defects
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defects
Clubfoot
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 593 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
6,643
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 3,591 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,096
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,953 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
2,015
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 1,943 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
2,026
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 4,175 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
943
dna icon Chromosome (Gene) Defects
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
How Many Babies Are Affected?
Specific Defects
Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 7,409 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
531
Specific Defects
Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 3,315 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
1,187
Specific Defects
How Often Do They Occur?
1 in every 707 births
How Many Babies Are Affected?
5,568
* Mai CT, Isenburg JL, Canfield MA, Meyer RE, Correa A, Alverson CJ, Lupo PJ, Riehle‐Colarusso T, Cho SJ, Aggarwal D, Kirby RS. National population‐based estimates for major birth defects, 2010–2014. Birth Defects Research. 2019; 111(18): 1420-1435. [Read article]external icon
