A rising incidence of birth defects in some parts of China is being attributed to environmental pollution, unhealthy lifestyles and poor nutrition.

The trend has led some experts to debate the reintroduction of compulsory pre-marital health checks which were scrapped in 2003, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Figures released by two populous provinces show alarming rises in the number of birth defects, according to Xinhua.

In east China's Zhejiang province, the incidence of babies with birth defects was 1.15 percent in 2003, rising to 1.33 percent in 2004 and 1.47 percent last year, the report said.

About 480,000 babies are born in Zhejiang each year, with about 7,200 babies born with defects in 2005, it added.

In the southern province of Guangdong, the incidence has risen from 0.96 percent 10 years ago to 2.12 percent in the latest figures.

Cleft palate , neural tube defects, excessive numbers of fingers or toes, congenital heart disease and water on the brain are the top five birth defects among Chinese babies, the report said.

據新華社報道，由于新生缺陷兒不斷增多，一些專家們正在考慮恢復已于2003年取消的婚前體檢。

據新華社消息，兩個人口大省的有關統計數據顯示，新生缺陷兒的數量增長迅速。

統計報告中說，中國東部省份浙江省2003年的新生缺陷兒比例為1.15％，2004年升至1.13％，去年增加到1.47％。

浙江省每年共有約48萬名嬰兒出生，2005年，患有出生缺陷的新生兒數量達到7200個。

中國南部省份廣東省的新生兒出生缺陷率從10年前的0.96％上升到最近的2.12％。

報告中提到，唇腭裂、神經管缺損、多趾癥、先天性心臟病和腦積水是困擾我國新生兒的五大出生缺陷。

專家介紹，遺傳病、細菌感染、環境污染、不健康的生活方式和營養不良是導致出生缺陷的幾大主要誘因。