Abstract :
Background: Normal maternal thyroid function is essential for fetal growth and neurocognitive development. Intra uterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a complex condition arising from maternal, placental, or fetal mechanisms and any imbalance in thyroid function may lead to undesirable results for
both mother and fetus.
Aims and Objective: The aim of this study was to co-relate the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in clinically diagnosed cases of intra uterine growth restriction.
Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital for a period of one year in which one hundred and twenty consecutive clinically suspected cases of singleton IUGR pregnancies at 34-40 weeks of gestation were enrolled. The reference level of TSH during the third trimester was taken as 0.3 to 3.0 mIU/ L. The TSH levels were recorded and a descriptive analysis of the data was performed.
Results: Among the 120 clinically diagnosed cases of IUGR only three antenatal mothers from rural background had TSH levels below 0.3 mIU/L. All three were vegetarians. In these, hypothyroid antenatal mothers, the delivery outcomes were; one was born dead while the other two babies were born alive and required caesarean section. However, the two born alive had a very low birth weight; less than 1.5 kgs and both needed admission to neonatal intensive care unit.
Conclusion: Since the causation of IUGR is multifactorial, the role of TSH alone may not be accurate to be used as biomarker for prediction of IUGR.
Keyword :
Biomarker, Thyroid stimulating hormone, Intrauterine growth restriction.