PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM IN NEONATES IN TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN CENTRAL INDIA

Abstract

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism is one of the most common disrupters of endocrine and metabolism, that is most important preventable cause of mental and physical disabilities. Clinical features are often lacking at birth even up to the rst few weeks or months of life. Diagnosis based on clinical features is difcult at birth without biochemical screening, resulting in delayed initiation of therapy and irreversible brain damage in the affected children. Screening during birth can help in early diagnosis and treatment. Knowledge of the country-specic prevalence of the disease can guide in establishing a universal screening program, thus improving the outcomes of affected children by timely intervention. This study aimed to describe and investigate the prevalence and incidence of CH in Central India by Cord blood screening method. A prospective observational study was conducte Material & Methods: d for a period of 9 months in the Department of Paediatrics, Index Medical College Hospital & Research Center, Indore after valid approval from Institutional ethics committee on neonates who qualied the inclusion criteria. The screening was conducted on 200 babies delivered at a tertiary care hospital, at Index Medical College Hospital & Research Center, Indore, both by normal vaginal delivery or Caesarean section were included in the study. Cord blood samples was collected on Post neonatal day 1 of these new born and sent for serum thyroid Stimulating hormone (TSH) estimation by IRMA method and followed up. Prevalence was calculated by percentage. Out of 200 ne Results: onates assessed 6 newborns detected to have serum TSH more than 20 µIU/ml, were further investigated with complete thyroid prole and out of these only one newborn detected to have congenital hypothyroidism eventually with incidence rate of 1:200. Early diagnosis of CH Conclusion: with an efcient and accurate screening method which can decrease the risks of developmental delay, mental retardation, and delayed physiological development