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Published on: June 25, 2010
Levothyroxine Treatment During Pregnancy: A Metabolomics Study
Olli Kärkkäinen1, Heidi Sahlman1, Leea Keski-Nisula2,3
1School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
|May 22, 2026
Summary
Levothyroxine treatment in pregnancy showed minor changes in maternal and newborn metabolite profiles. These alterations were modestly linked to cord blood thyroid stimulating hormone and newborn Apgar scores.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal medicine
- Metabolomics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Levothyroxine is frequently prescribed during pregnancy to manage hypothyroidism.
- Maternal thyroid hormone levels significantly impact fetal development and health outcomes.
- Understanding drug-associated metabolic changes is crucial for optimizing perinatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of levothyroxine treatment on maternal and umbilical cord blood metabolite profiles.
- To correlate observed metabolic changes with newborn health indicators, specifically Apgar scores.
- To assess alterations in lipid profiles during delivery in levothyroxine-treated pregnancies.
Main Methods:
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics was employed.
- Samples were analyzed from 118 levothyroxine-treated and 118 control pregnancies.
- Analysis included first-trimester, delivery, and umbilical cord blood samples.
Main Results:
- A negative correlation was observed between cord blood thyroid stimulating hormone (CBTSH) and Apgar scores in treated pregnancies.
- Cord blood metabolites associated with anaerobic glycolysis (lactate, citrate, glycerol) and amino acids were negatively linked to Apgar scores.
- Levothyroxine treatment showed small but significant decreases in cholesteryl esters, cholesterol, and phospholipids in very low-density lipoprotein during delivery.
Conclusions:
- Levothyroxine treatment during pregnancy is associated with subtle alterations in blood metabolite profiles.
- These metabolic changes exhibit modest correlations with CBTSH and newborn Apgar scores.
- Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the clinical significance of these findings.
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