Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many births classed as (1) spina bifida, (2) hydrocephalus, and (3) anencephaly caused by neural tube defects, there have been in each of the last five years.

The following table provides counts of birth episodes with a primary or secondary diagnosis of spina bifida, spina bifida with hydrocephalus, hydrocephalus, hydrocephalus in other diseases, and anencephaly.

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital

Notes: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer includes in admitted patient HES data. Conversely, apparent increases in activity may be due to improved recording of diagnosis or procedure information. It should be noted that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2015-16 includes activity ending between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016.

It should be noted that as the question specifies the number of births classed as spina bifida, hydrocephalus and anencephaly caused by neural tube defects, the response is restricted to birth episodes where the diagnosis has occurred at the time or due to a previous antenatal scan. An episode that includes diagnosis codes from more than one of the above groups will be counted in each relevant category.