The Alaska Birth Defects Registry develops and distributes reports on the prevalence and extent of birth defects, including FASD, across Alaska. The way that we do this, and the source of our data, is through participation of medical, allied health, and other health-related providers who deliver services to infants and young children with birth defects. Without provider participation, we are not able to do our job accurately or effectively – we depend on you. You may not know it, but birth defects reporting is required by law for hospitals, physicians, surgeons, or other health care facilities or health care providers who diagnose, screen, or provide treatment to a patient. Birth defects are reportable for children up to age six years -- not just newborns.

There is no fine or punitive action for failure to report to the ABDR at this time, so why bother to report? Because reporting is easy and the data that the Registry provides about birth defects in Alaska may be incomplete without your participation. Providing accurate counts and rates for birth defects occurring in Alaska, including FASD, is a critical function of the Alaska Birth Defects Registry. The data we provide is used by agencies statewide to target and evaluate prevention messages, interventions and health care services. The state birth defects registry relies on health care providers to identify and report children with birth defects so that we can develop prevalence estimates for reportable conditions. The list of reportable conditions, including infants affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, can be found in the publication Conditions Reportable to Public Health. This document is located on the web at: http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/pubs/conditions/ConditionsReportable.pdf.

In the absence of a specific diagnostic code for FAS and FASD, the Alaska Birth Defects Registry (ABDR) evaluates ICD-9 code 760.71, infant affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, which is a reportable condition in Alaska. In our analyses, FASD is defined as a report to the ABDR of ICD-9 code 760.71.

Birth defects reporting is easy. You can use the form found here: http://www.epi.alaska.gov/pubs/conditions/frmBirth.pdf. Or contact the Registry at (907) 269-8097.