The Relations between the Abolition of the Mandatory Premarital Medical Examination and the Change in Birth Defects Rates—Meta Analysis

Chao Guo, Peking University

Objective: To identify the change of birth defects rate before and after the abolition of compulsory premarital check-ups based on the literature review. Methods: Collecting data of BDs and premarital check-ups in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Due to the lag effect of birth, integrating with monitoring conditions of BDs, merge cases of 2002 and 2003 to compute the incidence rate of BDs. Take them as the control group to compare with the incidence rate of BDs in 2005. Use meta analysis module in STATA 11.0 to analyze. Results: The incidence rates of BDs in 2005 is 1.11 times as that of merged incidence rates of BDs in 2002 and 2003 (D+L pooled RR=1.11,95%CI=1.04~1.18). The difference is statistically significant. Conclusion: The incidence rate of BDs rose in China after the abolition of the compulsory premarital check-ups. It is necessary to advocate premarital check-ups in order to alleviate BD conditions in China.