Virginia Congenital Anomalies and Reporting Education System (VaCARES)

Overview

The Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System (VaCARES) is a registry of children under age two with birth defects.

The mission of VaCARES is to:

• Collect data to evaluate possible causes of birth defects.
• Improve the diagnosis and treatment of birth defects.
• Establish a mechanism for informing families of children with birth defects and their physicians about available health resources.

The development of VaCARES was mandated in 1985 and amended in 1986 and 2006 in the Code of Virginia, § 32.1-69.1 (Search Code of Virginia).  According to this mandate, hospitals are required to report cases of birth defects to VaCARES.  The relevant information can be reported and reviewed without the prior written consent of the patient or family.  The mandate also allows for review and evaluation of the system and activities.

VaCARES is managed by the Division of Child and Adolescent Health with consultation provided by the Division of Women’s and Infants’ Health.

Family Brochure

For Families of Infants and Toddlers with Special Health Care Needs

• To view PDF version, click For Families of Infants and Toddlers with Special Health Care Needs.
• Hard copies are available in English and en Español (Spanish).
• To request copies of brochures, please send email to rafael.randolph@vdh.virginia.gov.

En Español -- Disponibles para las familias de los bebés y niños pequeños con ciertos problemas de salud

• To view PDF version, click Disponibles para las familias de los bebés y niños pequeños con ciertos problemas de salud.
• Hard copies are available in English and en Español (Spanish).
• To request copies of brochures, please send email to rafael.randolph@vdh.virginia.gov.

VaCARES Fact Sheets

• 22q11 deletion
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Síndrome de Supresión del Cromosoma 22q11.2
• Anencephaly
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Anencefalia
• Cataracts
• en Español (Spanish) -- Las Cataratas
• Cerebral Palsy
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Parálisis Cerebral
• Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Hendidura del Labio y del Paladar
• Clubfoot
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Pie Zambo
• Coloboma
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Coloboma
• Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Hernia Diafragmática Congénita
• Congenital heart defects
• en Español (Spanish) -- Los Defectos Congénitos del Corazón
• Congenital Hip Dislocation
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Luxación Congénita de la Cadera
• Craniofacial
• en Español (Spanish) -- Las Anomalías Craneofaciales
• Down Syndrome
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Síndrome de Down
• Encephalocele
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Encefalocele
• Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Atresia Esofágica y la Fístula Traqueoesofágica
• Fetal alcohol syndrome
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Síndrome del Alcoholismo Fetal
• Gastroschisis and Omphalocele
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Gastrosquisis y el Onfalocele
• Hydrocephalus
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Hidrocefalia
• Hypospadias
• en Español (Spanish) -- El Hipospadias
• Limb reduction deformities
• en Español (Spanish) -- Las Deformidades por Reducción de las Extremidades
• Microcephaly
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Microcefalia
• Obstructions of the Digestive System
• en Español (Spanish) -- Las Obstrucciones del Aparato Digestivo
• Polydactyly and Syndactyly
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Polidactilia y la Sindactilia
• Renal Agenesis
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Agenesia Renal
• Retrolental fibroplasias
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Fibroplasia Retrolenticular
• Spina bifida
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Espina Bífida
• Trisomy 13
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Trisomía 13
• Trisomy 18
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Trisomía 18
• Undescended Testicles
• en Español (Spanish) -- La Falta de Descenso de los Testículos
• Urinary Tract Obstructions
• en Español (Spanish) -- Las Obstrucciones de las Vías Urinarias
• Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System (VaCARES)
• en Español (Spanish) -- VaCARES: Sistema de Notificación y Educación sobre Anomalías Congénitas en Virginia

VaCARES Surveillance

National Birth Defects Network 2009 Annual Report

• Web site: http://www.nbdpn.org/annualreport_2009.php
• Birth defects surveillance data from selected states, 2002-2006 (includes Virginia)
• State birth defects surveillance program directory (includes Virginia)

Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System: Birth Defect Surveillance Data 1989-1998.

• This report contains an assessment of birth defects in Virginia.  It includes epidemiological and statistical data about children from birth to aged 2 who were reported to have birth defects and were born to women who were Virginia residents. It includes two types of data: (1) the number of children with birth defects and (2) birth defect rates per 10,000 live births.
• To view report, click VaCARES: Birth Defect Surveillance Data 1998-1989 (2,636 KB).  This report has been formatted for 2-sided printing; therefore, some pages are blank.

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