Journal profile · Medicine-Embryology
Birth Defects Research
ISSN 2472-1727 · John Wiley and Sons Ltd · Birth Defects Research
Birth Defects Research: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.93; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,700; median 128 days to acceptance (90 articles, last 24 months); acceptance rate 39% (journal website); 151 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Birth Defects Research is published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Folate and B Vitamins Research, Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies and Human auditory perception and evaluation, together about 27% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Birth Defects Research is an official publication of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention. an electronic subscription to the journal is a benefit of Society membership. For more information about the Society or to apply for membership, visit the Society's website: www.birthdefectsresearch.org. The journal Birth Defects Research publishes original research and reviews as well as short communications, case reports, opinions and practice and policy articles in areas related to the discovery, description, etiology, and prevention of adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes. In particular the journal is devoted to the publication of original research that contributes to the understanding of prenatal development and the causes and mechanisms leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes including pregnancy loss, structural and functional birth defects, and effects on maternal and children’s health, and to the identification of biological mechanisms and interventions that reduce these risks. Adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes may have genetic, environmental, nutritional or epigenetic causes. Accordingly, the journal Birth Defects Research takes an integrated, multidisciplinary approach in its organization and publication strategy. The journal Birth Defects Research publishes original research and reviews in the following areas: Clinical and epidemiological analyses of environmental, nutritional, genetic and epigenetic factors, and their interactions, causing adverse effects on reproduction, pregnancy outcomes or children’s health. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of adverse developmental and reproductive outcomes. Protective factors and their mechanisms Reproductive and developmental toxicity of drugs, chemicals, botanicals, and biotechnology-derived products, and organismal, cellular and computational approaches to detecting and understanding toxicity to prevent birth defects and other adverse reproductive outcomes. physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling of pregnancy and delivery of agents to the developing organism; approaches to risk assessment for potential developmental and reproductive toxicants; Parental nutritional, behavioral and socioeconomic factors that positively or negatively affect the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes. Birth Defects Research is published in twelve issues per year, as well as an annual supplement containing the program and abstracts of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Preve
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Medicine-Embryology
Editor-in-chief Russell S. KirbyPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 27, United Kingdom 2 (29 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Folate and B Vitamins ResearchMedicine12.1%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance7.5%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering7.5%
- Educational Robotics and EngineeringComputer Science7.3%
- Pregnancy and Medication ImpactMedicine5%
- Congenital Heart Disease StudiesMedicine4.9%
- Cleft Lip and Palate ResearchBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.9%
- Prenatal Screening and DiagnosticsMedicine4.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Toxicology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Toxicology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Toxicology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of ScienceMEDLINEPubMedEmbaseCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.93LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2Publisher website ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 3.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.56LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.83LetPub ·
- h-index
- 2LetPub ·
- h-index
- 58OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 482OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.92OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 10%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 26.06%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 114LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2Publisher website ·
- Articles per year (publisher) 2025
- 119Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 326,559Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,939 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 116 | 67 | 17 |
| 2025 | 151 | 92 | 184 |
| 2024 | 148 | 89 | 596 |
| 2023 | 178 | 116 | 679 |
| 2022 | 180 | 90 | 1,229 |
| 2021 | 139 | 56 | 880 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
128 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 90 days – 167 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 17 days (90 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 148 days
- Sample
- 90 articles with submission and acceptance dates (269 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 39%Publisher website ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 39%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 32 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 32 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance 2025
- 133 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 13 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,700 / EUR 3,070 / GBP 2,510 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | No APC | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- ≤ 7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
Article types accepted11, with length limits
- case reportResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- case studyResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- hypothesisResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- meta-analysisResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- opinionResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- original researchResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- research articleResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- reviewResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- review articleResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
- short communicationResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- systematic reviewResearch Article: Manuscripts describing the results of original research conducted in the broad areas of reproduction, birth defects, other adverse pregnancy o…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAuthorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Plagiarism, Self-archiving, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- Authorship Authorship
Wiley's author name change policy applies. Model summary
The list of authors should accurately illustrate who contributed to the work and how. All those listed as authors should qualify for authorship according to the following criteria: Have made substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; Been involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Conflict of Interest
The journal requires that all authors disclose any potential sources of conflict of interest. Any interest or relationship, financial or otherwise that might be perceived as influencing an author's objectivity is considered a potential source of conflict of interest. These must be disclosed when directly relevant or directly related to the work that the authors describe in their manuscript. Potent…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Sharing and Data Accessibility
Requires a data availability statement for all accepted manuscripts. Model summary
Birth Defects Research recognizes the many benefits of archiving research data. We expect you to archive all the data from which your published results are derived in a public repository. The repository that you choose should offer you guaranteed preservation (see the registry of research data repositories at https://www.re3data.org/) and should help you make it findable, accessible, interoperable…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Publication Ethics
Member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Model summary
This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Read Wiley’s Top 10 Publishing Ethics Tips for Authors here. Wiley’s Publication Ethics Guidelines can be found here. Return to the Guideline Sections 6. AUTHOR LICENSING If a paper is accepted for publication, the author identified as the formal corresponding author will receive an email prompting them to log in to Author Ser…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright For authors signing the copyright transfer agreement
If the open access option is not selected the corresponding author will be presented with the copyright transfer agreement (CTA) to sign. The terms and conditions of the CTA can be previewed in the samples associated with the Copyright guide.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access For authors choosing open access
If the open access option is selected the corresponding author will have a choice of the following Creative Commons License Open Access Agreements (OAA):
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer Review and Acceptance
The acceptance criteria for all papers are the quality and originality of the research and its significance to journal readership. Papers will only be sent to review if the Editors determine that the paper meets the appropriate quality and relevance requirements.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism
Uses iThenticate's CrossCheck software to detect plagiarism. Model summary
Note, this journal uses iThenticate’s CrossCheck software to detect instances of overlapping and similar text in submitted manuscripts.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Self-archiving Self-Archiving Definitions and Policies
Note that the journal’s standard copyright agreement allows for self-archiving of different versions of the article under specific conditions. Please click here for more detailed information about self-archiving definitions and policies.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The journal requires that clinical trials are prospectively registered in a publicly accessible database and clinical trial registration numbers are included in all papers that report their results. Authors are asked to include the name of the trial register and the clinical trial registration number at the end of the Abstract. If the trial is not registered, or was registered retrospectively, the…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons Ltd
- Country or region
- Birth Defects Research
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2472-1727
- Society / sponsor
- Society for Birth Defects Research & Prevention
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 118, Issue 9 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Birth Defects Research
What CAS zone is Birth Defects Research in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Birth Defects Research is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Developmental Biology / Toxicology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Birth Defects Research?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.93; CiteScore 3.3, h-index 58.
How long does peer review take at Birth Defects Research?
Based on the dates recorded on 90 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 128 days (interquartile range 90–167 days); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 39% (2025). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Birth Defects Research?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: ≤ 7; Reference style: Author–date; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Birth Defects Research based?
Of the 29 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (27) and United Kingdom (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Birth Defects Research?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Birth Defects Research is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Birth Defects Research open access, and what is the APC?
Birth Defects Research is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,700.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .