Published: December 30, 2023
Updated: October 17, 2025 at 01:27PM
Welcome
Welcome to my personal data science website, where I focus on epidemiology and public health. On this page, I present data analyses on birth defect prevalence in New York State. The data presented here are derived from the New York State Birth Defects Registry (BDR), offering a comprehensive look at the occurrence of major birth defects among children born from 1992 to the latest available year.
Data Overview
The dataset encompasses information from the entire state of New York, including New York City, and is diligently updated yearly. The Birth Defect Prevalence page incorporates a variety of visualizations to enhance the understanding of the data, including a cross-sectional bar graph illustrating prevalence by disease for the latest year, a cross-sectional dot graph showcasing prevalence by disease and sex for the same period, a set of trend graphs displaying prevalence by disease over the years, and another set of trend graphs exploring prevalence by disease, year, and sex.
How to Use These Data
Navigating through this Birth Defect Prevalence page is designed to be user-friendly. The cross-sectional graphs offer a snapshot of the latest data, while the trend graphs allow for longitudinal analysis of birth defect prevalence. You can interact with these graphs to explore specific diseases, time periods, and gender-specific trends.
Why are these data important?
Understanding birth defect prevalence is crucial for public health planning and intervention. These data can help identify patterns, assess risk factors, and guide resource allocation for the well-being of mothers and children. By delving into the intricacies of birth defect occurrences, this page aims to contribute to informed decision-making in public health.
What do these data show?
The prevalence graphs provide a visual representation of the distribution of selected major birth defects. Cross-sectional analyses highlight the latest trends, while trend graphs reveal how these trends have evolved over the years. This overview supports a nuanced understanding of the health landscape in New York State.
What do these data not show?
It’s important to note that these data do not delve into the causation of birth defects. While the trends are indicative of prevalence, further research is needed to establish causal relationships and identify specific risk factors. Additionally, the dataset does not include information on children born to non-residents.
Implications for Public Health Practice
The insights derived from these data can inform public health practices in several ways. Identifying areas with higher prevalence rates can guide targeted interventions and resource allocation. Moreover, recognizing gender-specific trends can aid in tailoring healthcare strategies to meet the diverse needs of the population.
This page aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding public health in New York State. By regularly updating these analyses, I hope to provide a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and the public interested in understanding and improving maternal and child health. Your engagement with this data is essential in shaping a healthier future for our communities.
Executive Summary1
Date: October 17, 2025
Subject: Annual Briefing on New York State Birth Defects Registry Data (2020)
This briefing summarizes key findings from the 2020 New York State Birth Defects Registry data. Statewide, the three most frequently reported conditions were Atrial Septal Defect (187.2 cases per 10,000 live births), Ventricular Septal Defect (64.98 per 10,000), and Hypospadias (51.74 per 10,000). While the prevalence of some conditions like Ventricular Septal Defect remained stable compared to 2019, others showed substantial changes. For example, the rate of Hypospadias climbed 15.1% from the previous year among males. The data also show a sustained, multi-decade increase in the reported prevalence of several conditions, particularly certain cardiac defects, which may reflect evolving diagnostic practices. The following sections highlight two of the most notable patterns observed in the current data.
A prominent long-term pattern is the continued rise in the prevalence of Atrial Septal Defects (ASD). The statewide rate increased 8.9% from 171.9 per 10,000 births in 2019 to 187.2 in 2020. This corresponds to an estimated rise from 3,791 to 3,886 cases, despite a decline in total live births. This recent uptick continues a multi-decade trend. The pattern may not indicate a true increase in ASD occurrence but could reflect advances in diagnostic technology, such as more sensitive neonatal echocardiography leading to more complete ascertainment of minor defects.
A second notable finding is the single-year increase in the reported prevalence of Hypospadias. The statewide rate among males climbed 15.1% from 87.71 per 10,000 male births in 2019 to 100.97 in 2020. This represents a rise from approximately 987 to 1,074 cases. While this change is substantial, this single-year data point should be interpreted with caution. Such a shift could suggest an emerging trend but may also be attributable to random annual variation or changes in reporting. Continued surveillance is necessary to determine if this increase marks a sustained trend.
Cross-Sectional Data
Overall
This bar chart displays the prevalence of major birth defects per 10,000 live births in New York State for the most recently available year of data. Each condition is shown separately, with higher-prevalence conditions appearing toward the top of the graph. This cross-sectional view offers a snapshot of the distribution of birth defects at a single point in time, allowing comparison across conditions within the same year.
Graphs Prepared By: Isaac H. Michaels, DrPH
Data Source: Health Data NY
By Sex
This dot plot presents the same data as the prior graph but distinguishes prevalence by sex. Each condition is represented by two points, one for males and one for females, enabling direct comparison of sex-specific differences. This view highlights conditions with relatively similar prevalence across sexes as well as those with more pronounced differences.
Graphs Prepared By: Isaac H. Michaels, DrPH
Data Source: Health Data NY
Trend Data
Overall
This set of panels shows annual prevalence trends for each major birth defect from 1992 through the most recent year. Bars represent yearly prevalence per 10,000 live births, while the orange line provides a fitted trend across the full time period. The facets allow for side-by-side comparison of how prevalence patterns have evolved across different conditions, with each panel scaled independently to make within-condition changes more visible.
Graphs Prepared By: Isaac H. Michaels, DrPH
Data Source: Health Data NY
By Sex
This set of line graphs extends the analysis in the prior graph by adding sex-specific data. For each condition, prevalence trends are plotted separately for males and females, allowing examination of whether patterns over time differ by sex. The use of separate panels makes it possible to see long-term shifts in prevalence while also assessing the extent of sex-specific variation for each condition.
Graphs Prepared By: Isaac H. Michaels, DrPH
Data Source: Health Data NY
This executive summary was generated by an AI summarizer agent and reviewed by an editor agent. I review any summaries flagged for revision.↩︎
