Open AccessRelation of severity of maternal hypothyroidism to cognitive development of offspring
Author(s) -
Robert Z. Klein,
James D. Sargent,
P. Reed Larsen,
Susan E. Waisbren,
J E Haddow,
Marvin L. Mitchell
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of medical screening
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1475-5793
pISSN - 0969-1413
DOI - 10.1136/jms.8.1.18
Subject(s) - offspring , medicine , subclinical infection , intelligence quotient , cohort , percentile , gestation , pregnancy , case control study , endocrinology , pediatrics , physiology , obstetrics , cognition , psychiatry , biology , genetics , statistics , mathematics
Background An association between maternal subclinical hypothyroidism and low intelligence quotient (IQ) in the offspring has recently been shown. Objective To provide evidence for the causality of the association by testing the hypothesis that severity of maternal hypothyroidism correlates inversely with IQ of the offspring. Methods IQ scores were compared among 8 year old offspring of 124 control mothers whose thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations were 1 SD below the control mean was 15, 21, and 50 respectively (p = 0.003). The odds ratio of having an IQ > 1 SD below the control mean, after controlling for socioeconomic status, was 4.7 (p = 0.006) for the third group compared with the controls. Conclusions The inverse correlation between severity of maternal hypothyroidism and IQ of the offspring supports a causal relation and makes the need to screen for and treat pregnant women for hypothyroidism even more compelling.