Indicator Report - Birth Defects: Prevalence of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome per 10,000 Live Births
Why Is This Important?
Birth defects pose a significant public health problem. One in 33 babies is born with a structural birth defect in the United States. Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality and responsible for considerable morbidity and disability.Among people with HLHS, the underdeveloped left side of the heart is unable to provide enough blood flow to the body. The normal shunts present at birth help to direct blood to the body; when these connections close the oxygen-rich blood supply decreases. Thus, babies with HLHS might look normal at birth, but will develop symptoms of HLHS within a few days. These symptoms might include:
-Poor feeding
-Problems breathing
-Pounding heart
-Weak pulse
-Ashen or bluish skin color
Without treatment, babies with HLHS die. Although this defect cannot be corrected, surgeries after birth can create the needed connections, or shunts, to allow the blood to get to the body.
Prevalence of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome by County 2004-2007
Data Notes
New Mexico live-born infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), 2004-2007. The following International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes were used to identify HLHS: 746.7. In 1987, CDC put forth a set of 6 digit codes (the sixth digit provides greater specificity for diagnosis) based on the British Pediatric Association Classification of Diseases and the ICD-9-CM. If CDC/BPA codes are present, the following were used to identify HLHS: 746.700.Data Sources
Birth Defects Prevention and Surveillance System (BDPASS), New Mexico Department of Health.Birth Certificate Data, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics (BVRHS), New Mexico Department of Health.Definition
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a problem with the heart's structure that is present at birth (congenital). It is a group of related defects that, together, mean that the left side of the heart is underdeveloped. The prevalence of HLHS is the number of live-born infants with HLHS per 10,000 live born infants. (Live-born infants are the infants born with any evidence of life).How We Calculated the Rates
| Numerator: | Number of live-born infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). |
| Denominator: | Number of live-born infants. |
Page Content Updated On 05/24/2011,
Published on 06/23/2011
