View report page

24
Infantile Autism 1
Grecian nose dwarfism 1
Pierre Rabin syndrome 1
Others 5
124
Notification of Congenital Malformations
In 1963, the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health
indicated the intention to enumerate for statistical and
epidemiological purposes, all congenital malformations apparent at
birth and Medical Officers of Health were asked to arrange a scheme
for reporting such abnormalities to the General Register Office,
Information about the new-born child would come from the
doctor or midwife present at the birth who would be responsible under
Section 203 of the Public Health Act 1936 for notification of the
birth to the Medical Officer of Health. It was decided that
information about congenital malformations could be given on an
amended form of birth notification.
Commencing on 1st January, 1964, all congenital abnormalities
noted at birth in both live and stillborn children were notified
to the Medical Officer of Health who completed a standard form for
each child for onward transmission to the General Register Office.
When this Council assumed responsibility for the personal health
services in April 1965„ the scheme was in operation and has continued.
Notifications of congenital malformation are received in the
health department, recorded and then scrutinised by a medical officer.
In some cases the information given may be ambiguous or incomplete.
Further information may be sought from hospitals or health visitors
so that the defect can be more narrowly defined and more accurately
placed on the classification form,
A separate form is then completed for each child giving only an
identification number and basic information and the abnormality is
indicated on a coded list.