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Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy and behavioral problems in the offspring: the generation R study

Akhgar Ghassabian1, Jacoba J Bongers-Schokking, Jens Henrichs

  • 1The Generation R Study, and Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Pediatric Research
|April 8, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Maternal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) during pregnancy is linked to increased externalizing behaviors in children up to age 3. This suggests subtle thyroid function changes can impact child neurodevelopment and behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
  • Perinatal Medicine

Background:

  • Maternal thyroid function during gestation influences fetal neurodevelopment.
  • Limited understanding exists regarding the specific impact of maternal thyroid parameters on offspring behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal thyroid function in early pregnancy and problem behaviors in children up to age 3.
  • To determine if maternal thyroid hormone levels predict specific behavioral outcomes in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the population-based Generation R study (3736 mother-child pairs).
  • Assessed maternal thyroid function (TSH, free T4, total T4) in the first half of pregnancy.
  • Evaluated child behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist at 1.5 and 3 years of age.

Main Results:

  • Elevated maternal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels during pregnancy were associated with higher externalizing behavior scores in children at 1.5 and 3 years.
  • A linear relationship was observed between maternal TSH levels and externalizing scores across the TSH range.
  • Maternal free thyroxine and total thyroxine levels showed no significant association with child internalizing or externalizing scores.

Conclusions:

  • Subtle impairments in maternal thyroid function, specifically elevated TSH, may impact fetal brain development, leading to behavioral issues in offspring.
  • Maternal thyroid function is crucial for neurodevelopment and subsequent problem behavior in children.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms linking maternal thyroid function and child behavior.

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