Newborn Screening (NBS) Data, Virginia, 2015–2019

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The Sickle Cell Data Collection (SCDC) program monitors and reports on the health of people with sickle cell disease (SCD) over time. Data from the state’s newborn screening (NBS) program are an important part of the SCDC program because they provide information about the SCD births that occur every year. Virginia’s most recent NBS data, 2015–2019, are presented below.

The data provide the number of babies born with SCD in the state, their demographics, and their type of SCD. The people included in these data were born in Virginia during 2015–2019 and reported by the state NBS program with a confirmed diagnosis of SCD.

The individuals in the NBS data are also included in the Virginia SCDC program data for the years during which they were living in the state.

Map 1: Number of SCD births by county/city of birth, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015–2019
Map 1: Number of SCD births by county/city of birth, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015–2019

Map 1: Almost 35% of the SCD births in Virginia occurred in three counties or cities: Fairfax County, Norfolk City, or Prince William County.

Figure 1: Annual Number of SCD Births, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015-2019
Figure 1: Annual Number of SCD Births, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015–2019

Figure 1. There was an average of 63 SCD births per year in Virginia during 2015–2019.

Figure 2: Sex, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015-2019
Figure 2: Sex, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015–2019

Figure 2: There were a total of 316 SCD births in Virginia during 2015–2019. There were 172 male births (54%) and 144 female births (46%).

*NOTE: The sum of all categories may be less than the total number of births if there are individuals with missing data.

Figure 3: Confirmed Type of SCD, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015-2019
Figure 3: Confirmed Type of SCD, Virginia Newborn Screening Data, 2015–2019

Figure 3: Fifty-eight percent of the SCD births in Virginia during 2015–2019 were babies with hemoglobin (Hb) S/S or S/β0 thalassemia, 35% were Hb S/C, and 5% were Hb S/β+ thalassemia. The remaining babies had other or unknown types of SCD.

*NOTE: The sum of all categories may not total to 100% due to rounding errors.