Newcastle University

Project:

The Northern Congenital Anomaly Survey (NorCAS): a collaborative survey of congenital anomalies in the Northern Region.

From April 2003 to March 2008
Project Leader(s): Dr Judith Rankin, Dr Tricia Creswell, Prof Louise Parker, Prof John Burn
Contact: Dr Judith Rankin
Sponsors: Department of Health (£382,263)
Partners: Mrs Marjorie Renwick
Homepage: npeho/nmso.org.uk

Congenital anomalies are a significant cause of stillbirth and infant mortality accounting for around 1,000 stillbirths and 1,250 infant deaths in England and Wales annually. They also contribute to morbidity in the first years of life and beyond. The Northern Congenital Abnormality Survey (NorCAS), established in 1984, is an ongoing population based register of all congenital abnormalities arising within the population of the former Northern Region whether occurring in miscarriages, terminations of pregnancy or registered births, and whether diagnosed antenatally or later. Notification of cases is made from multiple sources, and all obstetric units in the Region contribute to the survey enabling high case ascertainment. It is managed by the Northern & Yorkshire Public Health Observatory in partnership with academic departments at Newcastle University. NorCAS is more complete than the National Congenital Anomaly System due to the strong local clinical network and the inclusion of cases resulting in termination of pregnancy. Over 50 research papers utilising NorCAS data have been published and the data has contributed to a number of local, national and international research projects.