Orofacial clefts in Costa Rica, 1996–2021: Analysis of surveillance data

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundOrofacial clefts (OFCs) are among the most common birth defects (BD). In 2008, a series of improvements began in the Costa Rican Birth Defect Register Center (CREC). We aim to explore trends between 1996 and 2021.MethodsA trend analysis of OFCs from 1996 to 2021 and a descriptive analysis of OFCs from 2010 to 2021 were performed based on data from the CREC, the national BD surveillance system. Prevalence at birth was calculated according to the type: cleft palate (CP), cleft lip with or without CP (CL ± P), and presentation (isolated, multiple non‐syndromic, or syndromes). We used joinpoint regression to identify if a significant change in trend occurred; the average annual percent change (AAPC) was determined. Marginal means and prevalence ratios by subperiod (1996–2009 as referent and 2010–2021) were estimated using Poisson regression and compared using Wald's chi‐square tests (α ≤.05).ResultsWe found a significant AAPC for OFCs prevalence of +1.4: +0.6 for isolated, +2.9 for multiple non‐syndromic, and +7.7 for syndromes (p < .05). When comparing the OFC's prevalence of the subperiod 2010–2021 (11.86 per 10,000) with 1996–2009 (9.36 per 10,000) the prevalence ratio was 1.3 (p < .01): 1.1 (p < .05) for isolated, 1.6 (p < .01) for multiple non‐syndromic, and 3.3 (p < .01) for syndromes. The prevalence of OFCs from 2010 to 2021 was 9.1 for CL ± P and 2.8 for CP. Seventy‐one percent of the OFCs were isolated, 22% multiple non‐syndromic, and 7% syndromes.ConclusionThe trend in OFCs' prevalence is toward increasing, mainly due to improvements in the surveillance system.