Health services must report congenital anomalies for live births, stillbirths and terminations of pregnancy to the Victorian Congenital Anomalies Register (VCAR).
What do you have to report?
A congenital anomaly (or ‘birth defect’) is an anomaly in body structure or chemistry that is present at birth. They can range from very minor to major conditions.
Although most congenital anomalies are detected during pregnancy, at birth or in early infancy, some may not be recognised until long after birth.
Congenital anomalies contribute significantly to perinatal and childhood mortality and morbidity and can result in paediatric hospital admissions.
Who needs to report?
- Health services
- Maternal and child health nurses
- Cytogenetic laboratories
- Forensic pathology
- Private paediatricians
How to report
Submit the Victorian congenital anomaly notification form.
Accessing VCAR data
The VAHI Data Request Hub is a simple way to request Victorian health data.
What do we use this information for?
We report publicly on the prevalence of congenital anomalies in children before birth and up to six years of age, from the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection.