Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS (BD-STEPS) II

For an application to be considered, it must be responsive to the following special eligibility requirements: Component A. BD-STEPS II CORE recipient: Access to a pre-existing population-based birth defects surveillance system that can provide data on all birth defects listed in Table 1 and access to necessary data sources to ascertain liveborn control infants (i.e. vital records or birth hospital records) as evidenced by a letter from the State health department or other State or private organization. Description of the selected birth population and geographic area which has to include 30,000 – 75,000 births annually as evidenced by a table listing the counties in the covered area, number of births in 2015 or 2016, and race/ethnic distribution. Evidence of legal access to the birth defects surveillance system is required. If the applicant is not a State health department, inclusion of a letter or memorandum of understanding from the State health department confirming the applicant has access to the necessary data sources in order to ascertain case and control subjects. Access to the state’s National Electronic Disease Surveillance (NEDS) system for ascertainment of reportable infections as evidenced by a letter of support from the State's NEDS program. Component B. BD-STEPS Stillbirth recipient: Access to necessary data sources to ascertain stillborn infants (i.e. fetal death records or birth hospital records) as evidenced by a letter from the State health department or other State or private organization. Description of the selected birth population and geographic area that includes 30,000 – 75,000 births annually as evidenced by a table listing the counties in the covered area, number of births in 2015 or 2016, and race/ethnic distribution. This area has to be the same geographical area as described for Component A.