Spina bifida incidence at birth--United States, 1983-1990.

Spina bifida, a birth defect of the spinal column that can cause varying degrees of paralysis, is a major contributor to serious developmental disabilities in the United States. To determine the incidence and descriptive epidemiology of spina bifida, CDC analyzed reports from 16 states with population-based birth defects surveillance systems (Table 1). This report summarizes findings from this analysis for 1983-1990.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)