Monitoring Critical Birth Information
The Birth Information Network (BIN) was established by Vermont legislation in 2003 and amended in 2011 (18 V.S.A. § 5087) to conduct statewide, population-level surveillance of selected birth defects and other congenital conditions. This information is used to improve outreach and referral services for families with children with special health needs, ensure adequate services are available for children and their families, evaluate efforts to prevent health problems and document possible link between environmental and chemical exposure with the special health conditions of Vermont’s infants and children.
Birth defects are common, costly and critical conditions that affect 1 in every 33 babies born in the United States each year. The Birth Information Network (BIN) program monitors trends, promotes prevention, and links families to resources.
Of the 26,610 infants born to Vermont residents from 2018-2022, 1,049 (4%) were known to have one or more of the conditions monitored by the BIN. As a group, structural and chromosomal birth defects were the most common type of condition in the BIN, with 726 (2.7%) of infants having at least one of these conditions. Atrial septal defect was the most prevalent single condition in the BIN, with 322 (1.2%) of infants having this condition.
