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Maternal thyroid disease and preterm delivery

Alex Stagnaro-Green1

  • 1Touro University College of Medicine, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601, USA. alex.stagnaro-green@touro.edu

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|November 6, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease are linked to preterm delivery. Treating antibody-positive women with levothyroxine may reduce preterm birth rates, but more research is needed for universal recommendations.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Endocrinology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Thyroidology

Background:

  • Preterm delivery is a major cause of infant mortality and morbidity in the U.S.
  • The incidence of preterm birth is rising, necessitating further investigation into contributing factors.
  • This review examines the connection between thyroid dysfunction and preterm delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on the association between hypothyroidism/autoimmune thyroid disease and preterm delivery.
  • To synthesize current evidence regarding thyroid health and pregnancy outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search of PubMed.
  • Systematic reference searching of all identified articles.
  • Inclusion of all relevant retrieved articles for review.

Main Results:

  • Evidence suggests a correlation between hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease in euthyroid women with preterm delivery.
  • A preliminary intervention trial indicated levothyroxine treatment significantly reduced preterm delivery in antibody-positive women.

Conclusions:

  • Thyroid autoimmunity and hypothyroidism are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
  • Levothyroxine treatment shows promise in preventing preterm delivery in specific patient groups.
  • Further confirmatory studies are required to establish guidelines for universal screening and intervention.
Abstract

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