Birth defects rise as checkups drop

SHANGHAI: Medical experts said lack of awareness about the importance of premarital checkups is causing birth deformity rates to rise.

The deputy director of Jing'an district population and family planning commission Chen Yunshan warned that if the government fails to take measures, it could lead to an even more serious public health problem in the next three to five years.

Currently, the average annual birth defect rate in China is from 4 to 6 percent. In Shanghai, it is 0.93 percent, meaning about 1,000 infants are born with birth defects every year.