Causes of death
Birth defects deaths in the US
Birth defects killed 10,081 people in the United States in 2025, making it the #20 cause of death. Adjusted for the country's aging population, the death rate is 3.2 per 100,000, down 15% from 3.8 in 1999.
Birth defects deaths per year, 1999 to 2025
Data table
| Year | Deaths | Crude rate per 100,000 | Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 10,393 | 3.725 | 3.756 |
| 2000 | 10,578 | 3.759 | 3.807 |
| 2001 | 10,442 | 3.664 | 3.639 |
| 2002 | 10,687 | 3.716 | 3.73 |
| 2003 | 10,518 | 3.626 | 3.633 |
| 2004 | 10,498 | 3.585 | 3.61 |
| 2005 | 10,410 | 3.523 | 3.537 |
| 2006 | 10,489 | 3.515 | 3.521 |
| 2007 | 10,421 | 3.459 | 3.448 |
| 2008 | 10,288 | 3.383 | 3.363 |
| 2009 | 9,883 | 3.222 | 3.278 |
| 2010 | 9,673 | 3.133 | 3.213 |
| 2011 | 9,702 | 3.114 | 3.181 |
| 2012 | 9,636 | 3.07 | 3.164 |
| 2013 | 9,583 | 3.031 | 3.122 |
| 2014 | 9,609 | 3.014 | 3.105 |
| 2015 | 10,017 | 3.116 | 3.204 |
| 2016 | 10,131 | 3.135 | 3.208 |
| 2017 | 9,902 | 3.04 | 3.115 |
| 2018 | 9,729 | 2.974 | 3.086 |
| 2019 | 9,713 | 2.959 | 3.081 |
| 2020 | 9,573 | 2.905 | 3.055 |
| 2021 | 9,664 | 2.912 | 3.142 |
| 2022 | 10,149 | 3.045 | 3.205 |
| 2023 | 9,892 | 2.954 | 3.162 |
| 2024 | 10,014 | 2.944 | 3.177 |
| 2025 | 10,081 | 2.964 | 3.18 |
It ranked #22 in 1999 and #20 in 2025, and has been as high as #19.
What birth defects means here
Birth defects, formally congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities, include heart defects, neural tube defects and conditions such as Down syndrome. Heart defects are the most common type and the largest cause of death within the group. Many deaths are in infants, but they occur at every age.
CDC category: Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
What stands out in the 2025 data
- It accounted for 0.3% of all US deaths in 2025, about 1 in 307.
- Deaths peaked in 2002 at 10,687. 2025 is 6% below it.
- 81% of the people who died of it were under 65.
- The age-adjusted death rate is similar for men and women (3.3 and 3.1 per 100,000).
Who dies of birth defects
| Age | Deaths | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 3,907 | 108.1 |
| 1 to 4 | 402 | 2.7 |
| 5 to 14 | 396 | 1 |
| 15 to 24 | 490 | 1.1 |
| 25 to 34 | 533 | 1.1 |
| 35 to 44 | 580 | 1.3 |
| 45 to 54 | 713 | 1.7 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,166 | 2.8 |
| 65 to 74 | 869 | 2.5 |
| 75 to 84 | 624 | 3.2 |
| 85 and over | 401 | 6.2 |
| Sex | Deaths | Age-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 4,874 | 3.1 |
| Men | 5,207 | 3.3 |
Common questions
How many people die of birth defects in the US each year?
Birth defects caused 10,081 deaths in the United States in 2025 (CDC provisional data), compared with 10,393 in 1999.
Is the birth defects death rate going up or down?
The age-adjusted death rate for birth defects was 3.2 per 100,000 in 2025, down 15% from 3.8 in 1999. Age adjustment removes the effect of the population getting older, so it shows whether the risk per person changed, not just the raw count.
Where does birth defects rank among causes of death?
It ranked #22 in 1999 and #20 in 2025, and has been as high as #19. The top causes in 2025 were heart disease, cancer and accidents.
Who dies of birth defects?
Most deaths, and the highest death rate, were in people under 1 (3,907 deaths in 2025). 5,207 men and 4,874 women died of it.
Where does this data come from?
CDC WONDER, the National Center for Health Statistics death certificate data, using the NCHS list of 113 selected causes. Counts for 2025 are provisional and can be revised slightly upward.
Keep reading
- Newborn conditions · 9,778 deaths in 2025, #22
- Accidents · 186,344 deaths in 2025, #3
- Homicide · 17,272 deaths in 2025, #17
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death, NCHS 113 selected causes. 2025 counts are provisional. Explore more on the Causes of Death page, or see what kills people your age.