Can the pathological conditions of the thyroid gland during pregnancy affect the course and outcome of pregnancy and the parameters of the newborn?

Abstract

Background: To determine the influence of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism on the course, outcome of pregnancy, and parameters of the newborn.

Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted. The study included 319 pregnant women of whom 257 had hypothyroidism and 62 had hyperthyroidism. The main parameter was the pathological conditions of the mother’s thyroid gland. Data were collected from the protocol, medical history, and discharge letters. The results of the statistical analysis are expressed in absolute and relative frequencies. The significance of the differences was tested using the χ2 test.

Main findings: In 2020 and 2021, 3,627 children were born. A total of 318 mothers were included in the research, of whom 257 (80.82%) had hypothyroidism and 61 (19.18%) had hyperthyroidism. Ninety-one newborns (35.4%) of mothers suffering from hypothyroidism and 20 newborns (32.79%) of mothers suffering from hyperthyroidism were transferred to the NICU. No statistically significant difference was found in relation to the influence of hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism on newborn parameters. However, a statistically significant difference was observed in the incidence of pathological conditions during pregnancy. In subjects with hypothyroidism, there was significantly more gestational diabetes (15%) and preeclampsia (3.5%).

Principal conclusion: Thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women did not significantly affect the course and outcome of pregnancy or the parameters of the newborn, including gestational age or anthropometric measurements.