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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 Health and Human Services (MDHSS). The Program encompasses the Michigan Birth Defects Registry (MBDR) and the Birth Defects Education, Outreach, and Surveillance 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.
Birth Defects Epidemiologist: Kenneth Hanson
What is the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program?
The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program, as part of the MDHHS 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.
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Epidemiologist: Amy Rakowski
Roles & Responsibilities:
These positions provides epidemiological support to the Birth Defects and the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Programs at the MDHHS. 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.
Birth Defects Deliverables:
For more information or to request a different format for any birth defects-related publication on this page, please contact: Kenneth Hanson (Birth Defects Epidemiologist).
Birth Defects Prosperity Region Factsheets
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 10
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 9
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 8
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 7
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 6
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 5
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 4
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 3
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 2
Birth Defects and Birth Characteristics - Prosperity Region 1
Birth Defects Newsletter
Michigan Monitor Fall 2022 - Updated Birth Defects Prevalence Data, 2015-2019
Michigan Monitor Summer 2021 - Updated Birth Defects Prevalence Data, 2013-2017
Michigan Monitor Summer 2020 - Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Michigan Monitor Winter 2019 - Neural Tube Defects
Michigan Monitor Summer 2018 - Birth Defect Related Infant and Fetal Mortality
Michigan Monitor Fall 2017 - Microcephaly
Michigan Monitor Fall 2015 - Prenatal Infection and Birth Defects
Michigan Monitor Spring 2015 - Orofacial Clefts
Michigan Monitor Fall 2013 - Congenital Heart Disease
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 Surveillance Reports
Monitoring Infants and Children with Special Health Needs: Birth Defects Prevalence and Mortality in Michigan, 1992-2008
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
Birth Defects Surveillance Special Reports
Zika in Michigan
Case-Finding and Validation of Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) Related Hospital Admissions in Michigan Infants Under One Year of Age
Apert Syndrome Prevalence in Michigan, 1992-2013
A Needs Assessment Survey for Parents of Children with Oral Cleft in Michigan: Results from the Orofacial Cleft Family Survey, 2013
Orofacial Clefts in Michigan, 2001-2010. Monitoring Infants and Children with Special Needs - Special Report
Cluster Investigations
Cluster Investigation Report Winter 2010
MDCH Birth Defect Cluster Investigation Protocol
EHDI Deliverables:
For more information or to request a different format for any EHDI-related publication on this page, please contact: Amy Rakowski.
EHDI Briefs
Michigan Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) 1-3-6 Goals and Loss to Follow-up, 2022
Loss to Follow Up: Missed Opportunities to Identify Infants Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Enrollment in Early Intervention Services for Infants Diagnosed with Permanent Hearing Loss, 2011-2013
Michigan EHDI Brief, 2007-2011
EHDI Special Reports
Demographics and Perinatal Characteristics Associated with Loss to Follow-up Among Infants in Michigan with a Failed Hearing Screen, 2016-2021
- Loss to Follow-up Study Summary, 2016-2021
Michigan EHDI Out-of-Hospital Birth Study, 2018
Prevalence of Hearing Loss among Hospital Births in Michigan, 2009-2013
EHDI Program Report
2013 Annual Report
2011 Annual Report
2008 Annual Report
2007 Annual Report
2006 Annual Report
Recent Presentations:
A Needs Assessment Survey for Parents of Children with Oral Cleft in Michigan; Quarshie E, Dinh P, Ehrhardt J, Wahl R, Mobley M, Copeland G. Poster presentation at the 2015 Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Conference, Romulus, Michigan, June 2015.
Case Finding and Validation of Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) Related Hospital Admissions in Michigan Infants Under One Year of Age; Quarshie E, Simmons L, Ehrhardt J, Wahl R, Copeland G. Poster presentation at the 2014 cCMV Public Health and Policy Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 2015.
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 16th 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 16th 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.
MDHHS Birth Defects Program
MDHHS EHDI Program
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