Reporting of Down's syndrome from birth certificate data in the state of Minnesota

Abstract

Following a study of 421 suspected cases of Down's syndrome which were referred during a 10 year period to the Human Genetic Unit of the Minnesota Department of Health for chromosomal analysis, the following conclusions were reached. There was an overall underreporting on the matched birth certificate of 52 per cent of the cytogenetically confirmed cases. This underreporting on birth certificates was greater (79 per cent) for those born in the years 1946-1964 when less specific information was requested than in more recent years (36 per cent), 1967-1974, when identification of the abnormality was requested.