[Neonatal screening for hypothyroidism in the Federal Republic of Germany (author's transl)]

Abstract

Screening for neonatal hypothyroidism was introduced in 1979 in nearly all West German provinces on a regional basis as an additional preventive investigation. In February 1980 provincial control was replaced by uniform financing of screening for the whole country by public sick funds. Eleven out of 14 regionally organised screening laboratories took part in an enquiry into the incidence, clinical symptoms and causes of inborn hypothyroidism. Among 427 430 newborn infants tested 137 children with inborn hypothyroidism were detected in 1979/80. The incidence of 1:3100 corresponds to European figures. On average treatment could be instigated by the 12th day of life. Clinical symptoms of hypothyroid newborns differed in part markedly from classical signs of hypothyroidism. About 30% of the mothers had goitre. The cost-benefit relationship of newborn hypothyroidism screening is 1:10.