Birth Defects Information

About 1 in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect in the United States. Most birth defects occur in the first three months of pregnancy. This is an important time when tissues are forming in the womb. Birth defects range in severity, and the earlier some birth defects are found, the better chance a baby has of living a long and healthy life.

Birth defects are the second leading cause of infant deaths in Indiana. Approximately 2,500 Indiana babies are born with birth defects each year. Reducing Indiana’s infant mortality rate is a top priority for IDOH and Governor Holcomb, who has set a goal of having the lowest infant mortality rate in the Midwest by 2024. Congenital malformations, such as cardiovascular, chromosomal, central nervous system and musculoskeletal defects, contributed to about one in five infant deaths in Indiana in 2018.