Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) fund research into and (b) help reduce the number of live births with at least one congenital condition.

The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), commissions a range of research to improve neonatal health outcomes.

For example, The NIHR recently funded a project which investigated whether artificial intelligence (AI) could help to identify heart conditions in babies, before birth. The study found that AI assistance in the routine foetal anomaly ultrasound scan results in significant time savings, and a reduction in sonographer cognitive load, without a reduction in diagnostic performance.

In addition, the NIHR is currently funding a £2.68 million study to improve maternal and infant outcomes in pregnant women with epilepsy through early identification of women and their babies at risk of complications and ensuring timely specialist epilepsy input with evidence-based information on the risks-benefits of their treatment. This study will therefore assess the longer-term effects of newer anti-epileptic drugs on children’s development to inform pregnant women and promote safe anti-epileptic drug use.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including research on congenital conditions.

The 10-Year Health Plan addresses common causes of congenital anomalies including plans to address smoking, end the obesity epidemic, and tackle harmful alcohol consumption. The 10-Year Health Plan is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future

The plan includes proposals for universal newborn genomic testing, subject to evidence from the Generation Study. This study is assessing the use of whole genome sequencing to screen 100,000 newborns for over 200 rare genetic conditions, with more than 15,000 families enrolled so far. Sequencing will complete by summer 2027, after which the findings will be evaluated and considered by the UK National Screening Committee. Subject to evidence and funding, genomic testing could be available to all newborns by 2035. The Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle includes evidence-based interventions to address common causes of congenital anomalies such as smoking, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and management of diabetes in pregnancy. Further information on the bundle is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/saving-babies-lives-version-3-2/

In addition, from December 2026, non-wholemeal wheat flour will be fortified with folic acid. It is estimated that this will reduce neural tube defect rates by approximately 20% in the United Kingdom. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/folic-acid