Epidemiologic investigations, inspections and identification of sources of exposure. Providing risk reduction information to families of children identified with elevated blood lead levels and to those who may be at risk for lead exposures. As DPH is developing a statewide surveillance system for birth defects, available data are limited. In Connecticut in 1992, the infant mortality rate due to birth defects was 1.7 per 1,000 live births. There is no comprehensive national surveillance system for birth defects.
Birth defects contribute substantially to morbidity and disability of children.
Of approximately 80,000 infants that are born with a major birth defect each year in the United States, approximately 6,000 die within the first 28 days of life and another 2,000 die during the next eleven months. Children with birth defects account for 25-30 percent of pediatric hospital admissions. Modifiable Risk Factors Environmental and nutritional causes of birth defects have been postulated, but supporting data are limited. Those most at risk for workplace fatalities are white males 25-44 years of age who are wage and salary workers. There are no national data for federal public sector employees, because OSHA does not cover federal employees in all states.