MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and behavioural and psychiatric disorders of children: a systematic review
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Dagnachew Muluye Fetene1,2, Kim S Betts3, Rosa Alati3
1School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Insights
Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy, especially hypothyroidism, is linked to behavioral and psychiatric disorders in children. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and explore confounding factors.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Medicine
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy poses risks for offspring neurodevelopment.
- Untreated thyroid issues can lead to long-term behavioral and psychiatric problems in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review evidence on the association between maternal thyroid status during pregnancy and offspring behavioral/psychiatric disorders.
- To synthesize findings regarding gestational thyroid dysfunction and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across major databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycNET, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane).
- Inclusion criteria: gestational thyroid dysfunction (exposure) and offspring behavioral/psychiatric disorders (outcome).
- Adherence to PRISMA guidelines; 13 studies included after independent review.
Main Results:
- Maternal thyroid dysfunction (low/high thyroid hormones, autoimmune thyroiditis) in early pregnancy is associated with ADHD, autism, pervasive developmental disorders, externalizing behaviors, epilepsy, and seizures in offspring.
- The strongest associations were observed with low maternal thyroid hormone levels.
Conclusions:
- Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy, particularly hypothyroidism, is significantly associated with behavioral and psychiatric disorders in children.
- Further research is required to elucidate causal links and control for confounding variables.
Background:
Maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy may lead to persistent neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring appearing in later life. This study aimed to review the available evidence concerning the relationship between maternal thyroid status during pregnancy and offspring behavioural and psychiatric disorders.
Methods:
Systematic electronic database searches were conducted using PubMed, Embase, PsycNET, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane library. Studies including gestational thyroid dysfunction as the exposure and offspring behavioural and psychiatric disorders as the outcome were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed and, after thorough screening by two independent reviewers, 13 articles remained eligible for inclusion in this study.
Results:
Indicators of maternal thyroid dysfunction, including low and high thyroid hormone level and autoimmune thyroiditis, during early pregnancy, were found to be associated with several offspring behavioural and psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, pervasive developmental problems, externalising behaviour, in addition to epilepsy and seizure. The majority of associations were found with low maternal thyroid hormone level.
Conclusion:
Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy, particularly hypothyroidism, is associated with behavioural and psychiatric disorders in children. Further studies are needed with a capacity to adjust for a fuller range of confounding factors.
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