PAHO urges early detection of congenital defects 2 Mar 2021 In Latin America and the Caribbean, 15 countries have surveillance systems for these anomalies, which cause almost 20,000 deaths of infants up to 28 days old. Montevideo/Washington, March 2, 2021 (CLAP/PAHO) - On World Birth Defects Day taking place tomorrow, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) urged early detection of birth defects and continuous support and care to newborns and their families so they can develop to their full potential. In Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately 1 in 5 deaths during the first 28 days of life - almost 20,000 infant deaths in total - are due to congenital defects. The anomalies, which can be structural or functional, occur during gestation. The most common and serious are congenital heart defects, neural tube defects and chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome.