Incidence And Prevalence of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Paraguay: Analysis of Data from The National Neonatal Screening Program (2014-2023)

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a preventable cause of intellectual disability, and its early diagnosis through neonatal screening enables timely and effective treatment. This study analyzed the incidence and cumulative prevalence of CH in Paraguay between 2014 and 2023, using data from the National Neonatal Screening Program (PNDN). A total of 851,560 samples from newborns up to 28 days old were processed, collected from 1,132 sites across the country’s 18 health regions. Annual incidence ranged from 1:4,250 to 1:1,621, with a cumulative prevalence of 40.2 cases per 100,000 samples. Of the confirmed cases, 74% were female, with a female-to-male ratio of 2.8. The regions with the highest number of cases were Central, Asunción, and Alto Paraná, while Alto Paraguay and Ñeembucú had the highest cumulative prevalence rates. Despite annual fluctuations, incidence remained stable over time, suggesting a consolidation of the screening system. These findings reinforce the importance of neonatal screening as a key public health policy to prevent disabilities associated with late diagnosis and highlight the need to strengthen territorial equity in program coverage.