IS IRON DEFICIENCY A RISK FACTOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THYROID AUTOANTIBODIES IN EUTHYROID WOMEN WITH REPRODUCTIVE...

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Reproductive Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• The first trimester of pregnancy is critical for thyroid function.
• Iron deficiency is implicated in thyroid dysfunction and autoimmunity.
• Thyroid health is crucial for reproductive outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if iron deficiency is a risk factor for thyroid autoimmunity.
• To investigate the association between iron deficiency and thyroid antibodies in non-pregnant women of reproductive age.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 358 non-pregnant women (203 iron deficient, 155 control).
• Exclusion of women with pre-existing thyroid disease or abnormal thyroid function tests.
• Measurement of iron status (serum iron, TIBC, ferritin), thyroid function (fT4, TSH), and thyroid antibodies (TPOAb, TgAb).

Main Results:

• Higher TSH and lower fT4 levels were observed in the iron-deficient group, though not statistically significant.
• Thyroid antibody positivity was significantly more frequent in iron-deficient women (35.96%) compared to controls (20.65%, p=0.002).

Conclusions:

• Iron deficiency is associated with increased prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity.
• Iron deficiency should be considered a potential risk factor for thyroid antibodies, particularly in women planning pregnancy.