Skip to main content
Minnesota Department of Health logo
  • Main navigation

    • Home
    • Data, Statistics, and Legislation
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Health Care Facilities, Providers, and Insurance
    • Healthy Communities, Environment, and Workplaces
    • Individual and Family Health
    • About Us
    • News and Announcements
    • Translated Materials

Main navigation mobile

  • Data, Statistics, and Legislation
  • Diseases and Conditions
  • Health Care Facilities, Providers, and Insurance
  • Healthy Communities, Environment, and Workplaces
  • Individual and Family Health
  • About Us
  • News and Announcements
  • Translated Materials
MDH Logo

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Individual and Family Health
  3. Preventive Health Care For Children, Teens and Young Adults
  4. Birth Defects Monitoring and Analysis
Topic Menu

Children and Youth with Special Health Needs (CYSHN)

  • CYSHN Home
  • About CYSHN
  • Information and Resources
  • Diseases and Conditions

Programs

  • Birth Defects Monitoring and Analysis
  • Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
  • Follow Along Program
  • Longitudinal Follow-up for Newborn Screening Conditions

Related Sites

  • LPH Partner Resources
  • Data
  • Public Health Lab
  • Minnesota Autism Resource Portal

Children and Youth with Special Health Needs (CYSHN)

  • CYSHN Home
  • About CYSHN
  • Information and Resources
  • Diseases and Conditions

Programs

  • Birth Defects Monitoring and Analysis
  • Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
  • Follow Along Program
  • Longitudinal Follow-up for Newborn Screening Conditions

Related Sites

  • LPH Partner Resources
  • Data
  • Public Health Lab
  • Minnesota Autism Resource Portal
Contact Info
Children and Youth with Special Health Needs
651-201-3650
1-800-728-5420 (toll-free)
health.cyshn@state.mn.us

Contact Info

Children and Youth with Special Health Needs
651-201-3650
1-800-728-5420 (toll-free)
health.cyshn@state.mn.us

Birth Conditions in Minnesota

Newborn infant in an isolette The Birth Defects Program at the Minnesota Department of Health collects information about around 60 conditions present at birth. About 2,000 babies are born with these congenital conditions, generally known as “birth defects”, in Minnesota every year. These conditions develop for different reasons and many causes are not understood. Below, you will find information about the most common of these birth conditions as well as the most frequent risk factors for these conditions.

  • Top 10 Birth Conditions in Minnesota
  • Most Common Risk Factors for Birth Conditions
  • Birth Conditions Prevention

Top birth conditions in Minnesota, 2012-2016

The Birth Defects Program at the Minnesota Department of Health tracks over 60 birth conditions, including some that are not tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the birth conditions we track, the top 10 conditions are:

RankBirth conditionTotal number of babies born with the condition from 2012-2016Number of babies per 10,000 births
1Hypospadias (males only)43269.9
2Ventricular septal defect81567.1
3Atrial septal defect25621.1
4Down syndrome21017.3
5Pulmonary valve atresia and stenosis14712.1
6Cleft palate705.8
6Cleft lip with cleft palate705.8
8Atrioventricular septal defect685.6
9Coarctation of the aorta665.4
10Renal agenesis and hypoplasia635.2

Group of 6 women

Top birth conditions in Minnesota, 2012-2016, by maternal race/ethnicity (PDF) - The top birth conditions in Minnesota vary by race and ethnicity. This document breaks down the top birth conditions for the following communities: White, non-Hispanic; Black, non-Hispanic; Hispanic; Asian and Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic; and American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic.

To explore the data available on birth conditions in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Public Health Data Access for Birth Defects .

Common risk factors for birth conditions

Though genetics may lead to babies to being born with some birth conditions, many other factors can increase the risk of a baby being born with a birth condition. Some of these risk factors are not preventable, but there may be ways to reduce the risk. Some common risk factors for birth conditions include:

Health conditions
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Iodide deficiency
  • Mother with phenylketonuria
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Vitamin K deficiency
  • Hypoxia
Substance abuse
  • Heroine or methadone
  • Alcohol
  • Cocaine
  • Smoking tobacco
  • Marijuana
  • Toluene (glue sniffing)
Chemical exposure and radiation
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Gasoline fumes
  • Magnesium sulfate
  • Methyl isocyanate
  • Methylene blue
  • Phthalates
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls
  • Cancer therapy
Medication use
  • Aminopterin or amethopterin
  • Androgenic hormones
  • Angiotensin converting
  • Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  • Busulfan
  • Carbamazepine
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Cyclosporin
  • Diethylstilbestrol
  • Efavirenz
  • Etretinate
  • Fluconazole
  • Iodide
  • Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid)
  • Lamotrigine
  • Lithium
  • Methimazole or Carbimazole
  • Mycophenolate mofetil
  • Paroxetine
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin
  • Propylthiouracil
  • Prostaglandin E1 (misoprostol)
  • Tetracycline
  • Thalidomide
  • Trimethadione or paramethadione
  • Valproic acid
  • Warfarin
STI's and other infections
  • Cytomegalovirus
  • Herpes simplex
  • Parvovirus
  • Rubella
  • Syphilis
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Varicella
  • Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus
  • West Nile virus
  • Zika virus
Reproduction and pregnancy-related factors
  • Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
  • Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
  • Trauma to placenta

Birth Conditions Prevention

For information about ways to prevent birth conditions, visit the CDC Birth Defects Prevention Website.

MDH funds community partners' programs that aim to prevent babies being born with birth conditions. To learn more, visit the Preconception Health in Minnesota Grant webpage.

Tags
  • children youth
Last Updated: 12/30/2024

Get email updates


Minnesota Department of Health logo

Privacy Policy
Equal Opportunity
Translated Materials
Feedback Form
About MDH
Minnesota.gov
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linked In
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
Minnesota Department of Health Minnesota Department of health print search share facebook instagram linkedin twitter youtube