Health registers for congenital malformations and in vitro fertilization.

Registers of reproductive outcomes can be used to obtain information about the incidence of health problems related to pregnancy and to study associated risk factors and underlying causes. In Australia, a national data system for congenital malformations, based on multiple sources of notifications, has provided data to determine the incidence of major malformations over a 3-year period (1981-1983) and to study regional variations in incidence possibly due to environmental or other teratogens. A national register of pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been established by obtaining reports from IVF units for pregnancies completed by the end of 1983. This register, developed in collaboration with the Fertility Society of Australia, has been used to describe the characteristics of infertile couples and the management of IVF pregnancies and to determine the incidence of pregnancy losses and major congenital malformations. Confidentiality issues were important in setting up both data systems.