What is the Birth Defects Program?
The Michigan Birth Defects Program is a statewide, population-based, passive surveillance system, housed within the Michigan Department of Community Health.  The Program encompasses the Michigan Birth Defects Registry (MBDR) and Follow-up Program.  The primary aims of the Birth Defect Program are to: 1) monitor the rate of birth defects, 2) conduct follow-up activities, and 3) educate individuals, professionals and the public about preventable risk factors. 

Michigan's formal surveillance system for monitoring the occurrence of birth defects began in 1987 when the public health code was amended by Act 48 (Public Act 368) to require establishment of a birth defects registry.  Case reporting began in 1992 and continues today, relying on reporting by hospitals and cytogenetic laboratories for case ascertainment.  

What is the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program?
The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program, as part of the Michigan Department of Community Health works to help identify infants with hearing loss and follows these infants to enrollment of early intervention services.  The EHDI program started in 1997 and works in collaboration with hospitals, clinics, parents, and audiologists.  The Michigan EHDI Program strives toward achievement of the national EHDI goals that were implemented by the CDC, and state and national agencies. 

The first three National EHDI goals are: 

1)       All newborns will be screened for hearing loss no later than one month of age, preferably before hospital discharge. 

2)       All infants who screen positive for hearing loss will have a diagnostic audiologic evaluation no later than 3 months of age. 

3)       All infants identified with hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services no later than 6 months of age.  

Roles & Responsibilities:  
This position provides epidemiological support to the Birth Defects and the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Programs at the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH).  Roles include data management, surveillance of birth defects and hearing loss, study design and planning, policy and program development, program evaluation, technical expertise and training.  Statistical analyses of data for both programs are presented in newsletters, updates, presentations, and annual reports.   The epidemiologist works to improve data collection and data use to support the functions of both programs.  The Birth Defects Program includes the Michigan Birth Defects Registry and works to prevent birth defects, monitor the rate of birth defects, and link families to resources and support.  The EHDI Program works toward the National EHDI goals including:  1) all newborns will be screened for hearing loss no later than 1 month of age 2) all infants who screen positive for hearing loss will have a diagnostic audiologic evaluation no later than 3 months of age, and 3) all infants identified with hearing loss will receive appropriate early intervention services no later than 6 months of age.  The epidemiologist assists in obtaining funding to conduct such activities and fosters active collaboration with other maternal and child health organizations. 

Deliverables:

Birth Defects Newsletter
Michigan Monitor Summer 2011 - Infant & Child Mortality
Michigan Monitor Spring 2011 - Maternal Obesity
Michigan Monitor Summer 2010 - Birth Defects and Hearing Loss 
Michigan Monitor Spring 2010 - Health Disparities and Congenital Heart Defects 
Michigan Monitor Fall 2009 - Teens with Diabetes 
Michigan Monitor Fall 2008 - Birth Defects and Children's Special Health Care Services 

Birth Defects Report
Monitoring Infants and Children with Special Health Needs: Birth Defects Prevalence and Mortality in Michigan, 1992-2006
Monitoring Infants and Children with Special Health Needs: Birth Defects Prevalence and Mortality in Michigan, 1992-2002 

Cluster Investigations
Cluster Investigation Report Winter 2010 
MDCH Birth Defect Cluster Investigation Protocol  

EHDI Program Report
2011 Annual Report 
2008 Annual Report
2007 Annual Report 
2006 Annual Report  

Recent Presentations:
Investigation of a Reported Cluster of Congenital Heart Defects in Midwest Michigan; Reimink B, Ehrhardt J, Grigorescu V.  Poster presentation at the 2011 Annual CSTE Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.  June 2011.

Risk factors associated with early hearing diagnositc evaluation among Michigan infants: MI EHDI and MBDR Data, 2004-2006; Reimink B, Kleyn M, Grigorescu V.  Poster presentation at the National Birth Defects Prevention Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL; February 2011.

Identification of birth defects with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait: MI NBS and MBDR data, 2004-2006; Reimink B, Kleyn M, Grigorescu V. Oral presentation at the 16^th Annual MCH Epidemiology Conference, San Antonio, TX. December 2010.

Identification of birth defects with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait: MI NBS and MBDR data, 2004-2006; Reimink B, Kleyn M, Grigorescu V. Poster presentation at the 16^th Annual MCH Epidemiology Conference, San Antonio, TX. December 2010. 

Teens with diabetes mellitus: promoting preconception care to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes; Schierbeek B, Ehrhardt B, Bach J, Grigorescu V.  Poster presentation at the National Birth Defects Prevention Annual Meeting, National Harbor, MD. March 2010. Poster presentation at the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Conference, Mt. Pleasant, MI. June 2010.   

Clinical genetic services: a view from Michigan's Children's Special Health Care Services' (CSHCS) families; Schierbeek B, Ehrhardt J, Langbo C, Bach J, Grigorescu V. Poster presentation at the National Birth Defects Prevention Annual Meeting, National Harbor, MD. March 2010. Poster presentation at the Michigan Epidemiology Conference, East Lansing, MI.  March 2010.    

Research/Professional Interests: 

• Determining risk factors associated with becoming loss to follow-up in the EHDI system. 
• Assessing racial disparities in the rates of some birth defects 
• Collaborating with other maternal and child health epidemiologist and linking data sources. 

Contact Info:
Epidemiologist: vacant
Email:   
Phone:  
Fax: 517-335-9790
Address:
201 Townsend St.
P.O. Box 30195
Lansing, MI 48909 

MDCH Birth Defects Program 
MDCH EHDI Program 
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