Download PDF
Am J Perinatol 2020; 37(03): 291-295
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3400980
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Maternal Hypothyroidism during Pregnancy and the Risk for Infectious Morbidity of the Offspring

Authors

  • Ofer Beharier

    1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

  • Asnat Walfisch

    2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mt. Scopus Hospital, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

  • Tamar Wainstock

    3   Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

  • Irit Szaingurten-Solodkin

    1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

  • Daniela Landau

    4   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

  • Eyal Sheiner

    1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Funding None.
Further Information

Publication History

02 May 2019

23 October 2019

Publication Date:
13 December 2019 (online)

Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints
Preview

Abstract

Objective Animal studies indicate a possible intrauterine immunological imprinting in pregnancies complicated by hypothyroidism. We aimed to evaluate whether exposure to maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy increases the risk of long-term infectious morbidity of the offspring.

Study Design A retrospective cohort study compared the long-term risk of hospitalization associated with infectious morbidity in children exposed and unexposed in utero to maternal hypothyroidism. Outcome measures included infectious diagnoses obtained during any hospitalization of the offspring (up to the age of 18 years).

Results The study included 224,950 deliveries. Of them, 1.1% (n = 2,481) were diagnosed with maternal hypothyroidism. Children exposed to maternal hypothyroidism had a significantly higher rate of hospitalizations related to infectious morbidity (13.2 vs. 11.2% for control; odds ratio: 1.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.36; p = 0.002). Specifically, incidences of ear, nose, and throat; respiratory; and ophthalmic infections were significantly higher among the exposed group. The Kaplan–Meier curve indicated that children exposed to maternal hypothyroidism had higher cumulative rates of long-term infectious morbidity. In the Cox proportional hazards model, maternal hypothyroidism remained independently associated with an increased risk of infectious morbidity in the offspring while adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion Maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy is associated with significant pediatric infectious morbidity of the offspring.

Keywords

hypothyroidism - pregnancy - long-term infectious morbidity - retrospective cohort study

Authors' Contributions

The authors were responsible for study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the report; and decision to submit the report for publication. O. B., A. W., and I. S. S. wrote the first draft of the manuscript.