Rarity of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in Children Born Very Preterm: Possible Mechanism and Implication for Newborn Screening
Authors' conclusion
We speculate that the combination of a high production of 17-hydroxyprogesterone with a low production of cortisol by the fetus with CAH accounts for the rarity of very preterm birth in this population. We suggest that newborn screening for CAH is necessary in Algeria to equalize the sex ratio but that it could be restricted to neonates born after 32 weeks of gestation, thereby possibly improving the cost-effectiveness ratio of this intervention.
Study context
- Population
- Singleton Algerian infants diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
- Participants
- 299 infants
- Outcome
- Prevalence of premature birth and sex ratio
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Born before 37 weeks of gestational age
4%
Preterm birth in the general Algerian population
14.3%
Born before 34 weeks of gestation
0
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Salt-wasting form confirmed, by sex
- Boys
- 93
- Girls
- 139
Original publication
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