Deficiency of Thyroid Hormones in Pregnancy and in Newborn

M. Nanu, D. Nanu, R. Tudosa, P. Vartej

Abstract: Assessment of the iodine deficiency în the pregnant woman, în the newborn, the prevalence of hypothyroidism, and the dynamic of this affection în the period 2002-2008. A representative national multicentric study group of 1976 pregnant women and 969 newborn was assessed for the prevalence of hypothyroidism and the dynamic of this affection în the period 2002-2008. The multicentric study of transversal descriptive epidemiologic type was made on a probabilistic representative sample for the country. Were assessed the newborn inclu ded în the National Program of neonatal screening (approximately 70000 newborn per year); etiopathogenic aspects of the congenital hypothyroidism (study made on 40 children with congenital hypothyroidism). Neonatal TSH samples were obtained through the dry spot method and the clinic exam was performed în children with congenital hypothyroidism. The urinary iodine în blood was assessed în pregnant women hospitalized for birth în the same observation period. Those women were questioned based on a questionnaire în the post-partum period and measured for the mother’s blood level of TSH, indicator of the iodine level. This study shows a deficiency within the limits of small deficiency în the pregnant women and average în the newborn; the prevalence of the congenital hypothyroidism is 1/4000-1/7000 newborn, decreasing from 2002 until 2008; 2,8% from the newborn presented transitory hypothyroidism; the outcome of the iodine deficiency on the newborn includes low birth weight, and the newborn thyroidian pathology is frequently associated. Interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary and the inclusion of prenatal examination determinating the iodine concentration is useful, and also the post-screening of the congenital hypothyroidism. The complexity of the etiology and of the consequences of the thyroid hormone deficiency recommends the screening programs for congenital hypothyroidism.
Keywords: screening, congenital hypothyroidism, TSH