Congenital hypothyroidism

Alternative names:

cretinism

Prevention:

Absence of the thyroid and defective thyroxine production are not preventable. Destruction of the thyroid in the fetus may occur if the mother is treated with radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer while she is pregnant. Radioiodine should be avoided unless the procedure is lifesaving. Infants of mothers taking antithyroid medications should be observed carefully after birth for evidence of drug induced transient (brief) hypothyroidism.

Most hospitals now perform a routing screening test on all newborns to detect hypothyroidism.