# Association between thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and neonatal neurodevelopmental outcomes

## TL;DR

This study finds that thyroid problems during pregnancy can harm a baby's brain development, with different types of thyroid issues affecting outcomes differently.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific types of thyroid dysfunction and their distinct impacts on neonatal neurodevelopment.

## Key findings

- Newborns of mothers with thyroid dysfunction had lower NBNA scores and thyroid hormone levels compared to controls.
- Neurodevelopmental outcomes varied significantly depending on the type of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy.
- Higher TSH levels and lower FT4/FT3 levels in mothers were correlated with worse neonatal neurodevelopmental scores.

## Abstract

This study aims to explore the impact of thyroid dysfunction (TD) during pregnancy on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborns. Participants were assigned to a thyroid dysfunction group (TDG, n = 92) or a normal control group (NCG, n = 150). Newborns underwent neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA), and serum thyroid hormone levels, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3), were measured. Within the TDG, subclinical hypothyroidism accounted for 43.48% (40/92), isolated hypothyroxinemia for 23.91% (22/92), subclinical hyperthyroidism for 17.39% (16/92), overt hypothyroidism for 9.78% (9/92), and overt hyperthyroidism for 5.43% (5/92). The total NBNA score, FT4, and FT3 levels were significantly lower in newborns from the TDG than those from the NCG (P < 0.001), whereas TSH levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05). Neurodevelopmental outcomes differed significantly among the various types of TD (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the total NBNA score of newborns in the TDG was negatively correlated with TSH level (r = −0.242, P < 0.05) and positively correlated with FT4 and FT3 levels (r = 0.464, r = 0.383, respectively; both P < 0.05). These findings indicate that TD during pregnancy significantly affects the neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonates, with the magnitude of effect varying according to the specific type of thyroid abnormality.