Michigan's Women, Infants & Children program, providing supplemental nutrition, breastfeeding information, and other resources for healthy mothers & babies.
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If you cannot afford child care, payment assistance is available.
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Our migrant program works with a number of organizations to provide services for Michigan’s migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
A federal program which helps persons admitted into the U.S. as refugees to become self-sufficient after their arrival.
Universal caseload, or task-based processing, is a different way of handling public assistance cases.
Information on the Children's Protective Services Program, child abuse reporting procedures, and help for parents in caring for their children.
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MDHHS and partners support a continuum of prevention services. The continuum is inclusive of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention activities. Visit this page to learn more.
Information about injury and violence prevention programs in Michigan
Information on Safe Sleep for your baby, how to protect your baby's life.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' (MDHHS) Environmental Health Bureau (EHB) uses the best available science to reduce, eliminate, or prevent harm from environmental, chemical, and physical hazards.
Information, sources of data and resources to support Firearm Injury Prevention efforts across the state of Michigan.
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Serves as liaison and provides funding to Michigan’s 45 local health departments.
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Prevention of diseases & conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many others.
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Home to an array of public health programs, initiatives and interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of women, infants, families and communities.
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Information on the grant awarded for the State Innovation Model Proposal
Protect MiFamily -Title IV-E Waiver
Offers resources for agencies who operate the Weatherization Assistance Program in the state of Michigan
Information on resources in your community and volunteer recruitment and training, and services provided at local DHS offices.
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Birth defects are physical or developmental conditions that a person is born with. Major structural birth defects affect about 1 in 33 babies born in the U.S. each year, which is about 3 in every 100 babies. The Michigan Birth Defects Registry monitors many birth defects. From Michigan data, we know that between 2015 and 2019 nearly 1 in 100 babies was born with one of the 12 conditions reported in MiTracking. That is a little over 1,000 babies born in Michigan each year with one of these serious birth defects.
Data for 12 birth defects are available on the MiTracking data portal:
The exact causes of birth defects are often unknown. They can be a result of genetics, lifestyle choices and behaviors, certain medicines and chemicals, infections during pregnancy, or a combination of these.
Learn more about birth defects at MDHHS Birth Defects Education, Outreach, and Surveillance.
Often a person with a birth defect is the only person in their family with the condition. Other times, if you have a family health history that includes a birth defect, developmental disability, newborn screening disorder, or genetic condition, you might be more likely to have a baby with this condition. To learn more about your genetic and non-genetic risks of having a baby with a birth defect, talk to your doctor or a genetic counselor. You can also find genetic services through the Michigan Association of Genetic Counselors or by searching the National Society of Genetic Counselors' online directory for in-person or tele-services.
It is important to be as healthy as possible before and during your pregnancy. Being healthy helps lower the chance of birth defects, premature birth, low birth weight, and other poor birth outcomes.1
Women are encouraged to make choices that are best for their own health and for the baby they may have in the future. Here are 5 prevention tips to help prevent birth defects2:
Tip 1: Be sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.
Tip 2: Book a visit with your healthcare provider.
Tip 3: Reduce your risk of infections.
Tip 4: Care for your body and mind during pregnancy to set you and your baby up for success.
Tip 5: Avoid harmful substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
For more prevention information, visit the National Birth Defects Prevention Network.
Data from the Michigan Birth Defects Registry (MBDR) were used to create this dataset through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics (DVRHS). For more data information, visit:
Birth Defects & Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Birth Defects Education and Outreach Program
Birth Defects Prevention: free items to print and order
Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Section
National Environmental Public Health Tracking (Tracking Program)
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
