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Updated: Dec 11, 2025
Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Maternal Thyroid Dysfunction During Pregnancy and the Risk of Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: A Systematic Review
Grace Mengqin Ge1, Miriam T Y Leung1, Kenneth K C Man1,2
1Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
Context:
Previous studies suggested a potential link of maternal thyroid dysfunction with adverse neurocognitive outcomes and impaired development of internal organs in offspring.
Objective:
To review the association between maternal thyroid dysfunction and the risk of adverse outcomes in offspring.
Data Sources:
PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library.
Study Selections:
Eligible studies reported the association between maternal thyroid hormone function and the risk of adverse outcomes in their children.
Data Extraction:
Reviewers extracted data on study characteristics and results independently.
Data Synthesis:
Estimates were pooled and reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). I2 tests were applied to assess the heterogeneity across studies.
Results:
We identified 29 eligible articles and found an association between maternal hyperthyroidism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.04-1.34, I2 = 0%) and epilepsy (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.08-1.31, I2 = 0%) in offspring; as well as an association of maternal hypothyroidism with increased risk of ADHD (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03-1.26, I2 = 25%), autism spectrum disorder (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.05-1.90, I2 = 63%), and epilepsy (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.39, I2 = 0%) in offspring.
Conclusion:
Routine measurement and timely treatment on thyroid function should be considered for pregnant women.
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