Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 9, 2026
Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
Published on: November 20, 2015
Effect of gestational subclinical hypothyroidism on early neurodevelopment of offspring
Insights
Gestational subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in mothers did not lead to neurodevelopment deficits in their offspring up to 24 months. Early neurodevelopment assessments showed no significant differences between infants born to mothers with or without SCH.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Gestational subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a condition where thyroid hormone levels are mildly elevated during pregnancy.
- Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy is crucial for fetal development, particularly neurodevelopment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal gestational SCH on the early neurodevelopment of offspring.
- To determine if SCH during pregnancy is associated with developmental delays in children up to 24 months of age.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 212 mother-infant pairs.
- Infants were categorized based on maternal gestational thyroid status: SCH (n=106) and euthyroid (n=106).
- Neurodevelopmental assessment was performed using the revised Gesell developmental test in infants aged 12 to 24 months.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in Gesell developmental test scores were found between infants of mothers with gestational SCH and those of euthyroid mothers.
- Maternal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations did not correlate with offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Specific analysis of SCH during the first trimester also revealed no impact on infant neurodevelopment.
Conclusions:
- Gestational subclinical hypothyroidism does not appear to cause detectable neurodevelopmental deficits in offspring up to 24 months of age.
- These findings suggest that mild thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy may not adversely affect early childhood development.
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of gestational subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) on early neurodevelopment of offspring.
Study Design:
A prospective study included 106 infants born to mothers with gestational SCH and 106 infants born to mothers who were euthyroid during pregnancy. The neurodevelopment of 12 to 24-month-old infants was assessed and compared using the Gesell developmental test (revised version).
Results:
Infants born to mothers with gestational SCH and those born to euthyroid mothers had similar scores on the Gesell development test. No correlations were observed between maternal TSH concentration and Gesell developmental test scores of offspring. Infants born to mothers who had gestational SCH during the first trimester specifically and those born to euthyroid mothers had similar scores on the Gesell development test. No significant correlations were detected between maternal TSH concentration during the first trimester and offspring neurodevelopment.
Conclusions:
No detectable neurodevelopment deficit was observed in offspring up to 24 months old from mothers who had gestational SCH.
