Monitoring the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism for 20 years near the Savannah River site.

OBJECTIVES

The main objectives were to describe the epidemiology of primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in Georgia during the past 20 years and specifically to determine whether there was a significant increase in CH prevalence proximal to the Savannah River Site (SRS), a nuclear plant.

METHODS

Data were derived from the Georgia Newborn Screening Program. Frequencies were determined for race, sex, birth weight and birth month. Seasonality effects were investigated and the prevalence was determined and mapped by health district.

RESULTS

The majority of the CH cases were female, white and of average birth weight. The sex ratio varied by race/ethnicity. There was not a statistically significant increase in the prevalence in the eastern districts that were in close proximity to the SRS.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there were differences in the prevalence between health districts, we found no increased prevalence of CH in those health districts proximal to the SRS.