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Birth Defects and Genetic Disorders Among Arab Americans—Michigan, 1992–2003

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Abstract

Birth defects and genetic disorders are leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality in many countries. Population-based data on birth defects among Arab-American children have not been documented previously. Michigan has the second largest Arab-American community in the United States after California. Using data from the Michigan Birth Defects Registry (MBDR), which includes information on parents’ country of birth and ancestry, birth prevalences were estimated in offspring of Michigan women of Arab ancestry for 21 major categories of birth defects and 12 congenital endocrine, metabolic, and hereditary disorders. Compared with other non-Hispanic white children in Michigan, Arab-American children had similar or lower birth prevalences of the selected types of structural birth defects, with higher rates of certain hereditary blood disorders and three categories of metabolic disorders. These estimates are important for planning preconception and antenatal health care, genetic counseling, and clinical care for Arab Americans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, MS E03, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Emad A. Yanni & Richard S. Olney

  2. Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Birth Defects Registry, Lansing, MI, USA

    Glenn Copeland

Authors
  1. Emad A. Yanni
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  2. Glenn Copeland
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  3. Richard S. Olney
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Correspondence to Emad A. Yanni.

Additional information

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Yanni, E.A., Copeland, G. & Olney, R.S. Birth Defects and Genetic Disorders Among Arab Americans—Michigan, 1992–2003. J Immigrant Minority Health 12, 408–413 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9203-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9203-x

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