The Anthropological View of Down's Syndrome Prevalence in Abuja Nigeria (A Retrospective Study)

Anthropologically,Down syndrome was first described in the medical literature by John Langdon Down in 1866. During this era individuals with cognitive impairment (i.e. mental retardation) were often referred to as ?idiots? and ?imbeciles? and rarely differentiated into subcategories based upon differential diagnoses. Using a hierarchical racial classification system that was popular during his age, John Langdon Down noted the resemblance of facial features among individuals with Down syndrome and individuals of Mongolian descent (Down 1866; Volpe 1986).The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of Down's syndrome in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) from January 2006 to December 2007. The prevalence of Down's syndrome of 1 in 832 (1.20 in 1,000) livebirths in the present study is similar to the prevalence reported from other parts of the world [Adeyokunnu in Ibadan 1.16 per 1000, Delport et al.in Pretoria 1.33 per 1000, Kromberg et al. in Johannesburg 1.2 per 1000, Canfield et al. in the US 1.37 per 1,000], Compared with the findings of (Tooth and Jellife), Carter in Egypt, Simpkiss and Lowe in Uganda and Gupta in Nigeria; that suggested rarity or non-existence of Down's syndrome among Africans many years ago, our results show the prevalence that is about five times higher.

Key Words: Prevalence, Down's Syndrome, Abuja, Nigeria