The Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention is a collaborative group comprising the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and the Arkansas Department of Health. The Center is the lead agency for the Folic Acid Coalition, conducting public and professional educational activities throughout the state to raise awareness about the preventive benefits of taking folic acid daily.

The mission of the Center is to reduce the prevalence of birth defects in Arkansas and the nation, as well as to decrease the economic, social, and psychological impact of birth defects.

Researchers explore gene-nutrient interactions that could negatively affect the fetal environment leading to congenital heart defects, neural tube defects, Down syndrome and limb defects. Center researchers are also studying three areas of health services research:

• Evaluation of primary prevention of birth defects

• Evaluation of costs associated with birth defects

• Health care quality and utilization project studies

Faculty Members:

    Charlotte A. Hobbs, MD, PhD, Section Chief

    Sarah Blossom, PhD

    Mario A. Cleves, PhD

    Stewart MacLeod, PhD

    Sadia Malik, MBBS, MPH

    James M. Robbins, PhD

Additional web links:

Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research & Prevention

    http://arbirthdefectsresearch.uams.edu/

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