China has about one million new babies born with birth defects or diseases each year, a seminar on reproductive health was told Wednesday.

Professor Liang Jimin, executive deputy president of Reproductive Care Branch of the Demographic Society of China, said the figure includes up to 300,000 babies born with defects, and others who are diagnosed with defects or other health problems several months or years later.

The birth defects and problems were attributable to hereditary factors and maternal infection, said the professor.

"By three percent minimum infection estimate, about half a million new-born babies were infected," Liang said. About 17 million babies are born each year in China out of a population of 1.3 billion.

In addition, China has about 4 million children under 14 years old with low intelligence due to hereditary, environmental, nutritional, and other factors, the professor said.

Liang said prenatal care is essential to breed clever and healthy babies, while prenatal maternal diagnosis, health care and intake of iodin supplements are effective in reducing the number of babies with birth defects.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2004)