Epidemiology of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Markazi Province, Iran

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) among newborns in Markazi Province, Iran. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2006 to 2012. Blood samples were taken between 3 to 5 days after birth from the heel. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was tested using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method and was employed as the screening test. Newborns with abnormal screening results (TSH >5 mIU/L) were re-examined. The data were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS A total of 127 112 infants were screened. Of these, 51.2% were male and 48.8% were female. The coverage rate of the screening program was 100%. Of 6102 recalled subjects (re-call rate 4.8%), 414 cases with CH were detected, yielding a CH prevalence of 1:307 (female:male ratio 1:0.95). The prevalence of permanent and transient CH was 1:581 and 1:628, respectively. CONCLUSION This study reveals that the prevalence of CH is higher compared to worldwide levels. Comprehensive and complementary studies for recognizing related risk factors should be a priority for health system research in this province.