Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
Assessment of Perigenital Sensitivity and Prostatic Mast Cell Activation in a Mouse Model of Neonatal Maternal Separation
Published on: August 13, 2015
Effect of maternal and neonatal factors on neonatal thyroid stimulating hormone: Results from a population-based
Yixin Zhang1, Cong Du1, Wei Wang1
1Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Insights
Neonatal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are influenced by maternal age, BMI, and infant birth weight. Understanding these factors is crucial for accurate congenital hypothyroidism screening and assessing neonatal thyroid development.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Neonatal Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Neonatal screening for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is vital for detecting congenital hypothyroidism and assessing population iodine status.
- TSH levels in newborns can be influenced by various maternal and neonatal factors, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of these influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal and neonatal factors on neonatal TSH levels.
- To identify key determinants affecting TSH concentrations in newborns for improved diagnostic accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 988 pregnant women and their newborns.
- Data collection included maternal demographics (age, BMI, parity), pregnancy details (gestation duration), and neonatal characteristics (birth weight, height, TSH, FT4).
- Multivariate regression models were employed to analyze the relationships between factors and neonatal TSH levels.
Main Results:
- Maternal age, BMI, gestation duration, parity, and neonatal birth weight and height were significantly correlated with neonatal TSH (p < 0.05).
- Maternal age, TSH, free thyroxine (FT4), and gestation duration showed a positive correlation with neonatal TSH levels.
- Maternal BMI, TSH, and birth height were identified as risk factors for elevated neonatal TSH (> 5 mIU/L).
Conclusions:
- Neonatal TSH levels are dynamic and influenced by multiple maternal and neonatal factors.
- Identifying these confounding factors is essential for accurate assessment of neonatal thyroid development and function.
- Future research should incorporate these confounders to establish precise neonatal TSH ranges for monitoring iodine status and diagnosing congenital hypothyroidism.
Objective:
Neonatal TSH screening is effective in detecting congenital hypothyroidism and estimating iodine status in a given population, but various factors influence TSH levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal and neonatal factors on neonatal TSH levels.
Design And Setting:
Data were obtained from an ongoing prospective cohort study. A total of 988 pregnant women and their newborn infants participated in the study from April 2015 to May 2017 at Tianjin Maternal and Child Health Center and Tanggu Maternity Hospital in Tianjin, China. Maternal demographic information, including age, height, and parity, was recorded by questionnaire. Fasting blood and urinary samples were collected from all pregnant women. After parturition, information on gestation duration, mode of delivery, neonatal sex, neonatal TSH, neonatal birth weight, and neonatal birth height were recorded.
Results:
Maternal age, maternal BMI, gestation duration, parity, and neonatal birth weight and height were significantly correlated with neonatal TSH (p < 0.05). Quantile regression revealed that maternal age, TSH, FT4, and gestation duration were positively correlated with neonatal TSH level. A logistic regression model identified maternal BMI, TSH, and birth height as risk factors for having neonatal TSH > 5 mIU/L (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Neonatal TSH levels are dynamic and may be affected by several maternal and neonatal factors including maternal age, TSH, FT4, and birth weight and height. Identification of these confounders is useful for assessing the status of neonatal thyroid development. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY: (1) Iodine deficiency disorder has generally been eliminated, so the median urinary iodine concentration of pregnancy is higher than 150 μg/L even in mildly or moderately iodine deficient areas. (2) Unlike many other studies, which did not consider the complexity of factors or examined only one or two variables, this study used a multivariate model to analyze the data. (3) This study examined numerous high-risk factors in pregnant women and considered the biological interrelation between them. Future studies should consider these confounding factors for neonatal TSH levels and establish a proper neonatal TSH range for monitoring the iodine status of a population or diagnosing congenital hypothyroidism.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Functions of Thyroid Hormones
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
01:20Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The...
02:13Types of Hormones
01:40Hormonal Regulation
01:33Hormonal Regulation
01:56Plant Hormones