OBJECTIVE:To determine whether there has been an improvement in ascertainment of malformations in the Victorian Congenital Malformations Register (VCMR). METHODOLOGY:The medical records of 500 children under 4 years of age admitted consecutively to two paediatric teaching hospitals in Victoria in 1992 were viewed to determine whether these cases had been notified to the Register. RESULTS:Over three-quarters of the defects recorded had been notified to VCMR. There was 100% ascertainment of chromosomal anomalies and a high proportion of major structural malformations were notified. CONCLUSION:This study repeats the validation study completed in 1986 and shows marked improvement in ascertainment of malformations in the VCMR by 1992.
