Vigilancia epidemiológica de anomalías congénitas en España: treinta años de existencia del registro del ECEMC

Abstract

In this chapter, the most recent results from the main analyses of epidemiological surveillance carried out systematically in the ECEMC are shown. There has not been any remarkable change with respect to the results of the analyses performed in 2005. The decrease in the neonatal prevalence of the congenital defects that are usually included in the surveillance, continues being a constant, mainly attributable to the impact of the voluntary interruption of gestations (VIG) after the detection of foetal anomalies. It has not been detected any increase in the prevalence that could be correlated to any known variation in the causal factors of congenital defects in Spain. The ability of the ECEMC to break down the data gathered in different periods, and to group them in the diverse geographical-administrative areas, has shown to be useful to correlate the variations in the frequencies with some circumstances contributing to the reality of the problem of congenital defects in our country. For instance, the fact of having gathered data since the previous period to the passing of the law regulating VIGs in Spain, has let to estimate their impact on the neonatal frequency of congenital defects. Moreover, grouping data by Spanish Autonomous Regions, has laid the foundations to assess, even comparatively, the different plans of action and intervention developed in each region. Another important issue is that the immigrant population is getting a considerable fraction of the Spanish population, being very similar the percentage registered by the ECEMC to that published by the INE in the official statistics. Additionally, the availability of data in the ECEMC regarding a wide group of about 312 variables per infant registered, confers a great power and versatility to this programme of epidemiological surveillance, as it allows trying to confirm or rule out the possible relationship of those variables with the incidental variations detected in the frequency or congenital defects.