Members include public health officials, epidemiologists, academics, parents, and others committed to understanding factors that may lead to birth defects, identifying strategies for reducing birth defects, and working to prevent potential secondary disabilities. The NBDPN assesses the impact of birth defects upon children, families, and health care; identifies factors that can be used to develop primary prevention strategies; and assists families and their providers in secondary disabilities prevention. To fulfill its mission, the Network pursues the following goals:
-Improve access and application of information about the prevalence and trends of birth defects.
-Increase collaboration between members within the birth defects community.
-Advance science through birth defects surveillance and its application to public health efforts and resource allocation. The objectives of the NBDPN are to:
-Improve the quality of birth defect surveillance data.
-Promote scientific collaboration for the prevention of birth defects.
-Provide technical assistance for the development of uniform methods of data collection.
-Facilitate the communication and dissemination of information related to birth defects.
-Collect, analyze, and disseminate state and population-based birth defect surveillance data.
-Encourage the use of birth defect data for decisions regarding health services planning (secondary disabilities prevention and services).
