State-Based Tracking Systems
Illinois

Program: Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Reporting System (APORS)
Organization: Illinois Department of Public Health
Project Period: February 2010–January 2015
Project Director: Tiefu Shen, MD, PhD
Website: http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/epi/apors.htm

The Illinois Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Reporting System (APORS) is a mandated population-based birth defects registry that began in 1986. APORS monitors about 180,000 births per year and collects information from multiple sources on children up to two years of age. The system uses the data collected to improve birth defects tracking, produce timely statewide information, and guide its prevention and referral activities.

 

Grantee Goals and Activities

Surveillance

• Enhance tracking of birth defects.
• Improve quality of hospital reporting data by evaluating timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of the data.
• Increase dissemination of data and timely sharing of data with state agencies to assist with program development.

Prevention

• Focus prevention strategies on women at risk for diabetes, neural tube defects, or alcohol abuse who are currently receiving family planning and nutritional services.
• Involve doctors and state health agencies in developing and enforcing strategies for preventing the recurrence of neural tube defects and optimizing health during inter-pregnancy interventions.

Referrals

• Improve referral efforts through on-time medical intervention and support services for children and families with special needs.
• Analyze referral practices to identify gaps in current processes and develop solutions.