Maternal thyroid hormone trajectories during pregnancy and child behavioral problems

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Developmental Psychology
• Perinatal Health

Background:

• Maternal thyroid hormones are crucial for fetal development, particularly cognition.
• The relationship between maternal thyroid hormone *trajectories* during pregnancy and child behavioral development is less understood.
• Child sex may influence behavioral outcomes, necessitating investigation into sex-specific associations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine associations between maternal thyroid hormone trajectories and child behavioral problems.
• To compare the predictive power of thyroid hormone trajectories versus trimester-specific assessments.
• To investigate potential sex differences in these associations.

Main Methods:

• Serum TSH and free T4 (fT4) measured in 442 pregnant women at 12, 24, and 36 weeks gestation.
• Latent growth mixture modeling used to identify distinct maternal thyroid hormone trajectories.
• Parental reports of child behavioral problems collected between 23 and 60 months of age.

Main Results:

• Three distinct maternal thyroid hormone trajectories were identified.
• Mothers with the most flattened thyroid hormone trajectories showed the highest child anxiety/depression symptoms.
• Lower first-trimester fT4 linked to increased child anxiety/depression; higher first-trimester TSH linked to attention problems in boys.

Conclusions:

• A flattened maternal thyroid hormone trajectory during pregnancy is a significant predictor of child anxiety/depression.
• Trimester-specific thyroid hormone levels, particularly in the first trimester, show distinct associations with child behavioral outcomes.
• The study highlights the importance of considering the dynamic course of maternal thyroid hormones throughout pregnancy for child behavioral development.