Women & Infants researchers study hypothyroidism

PROVIDENCE – Researchers at Women & Infants Hospital are launching a new study to gauge how well hypothyroidism is detected and followed as part of routine care in early pregnancy, and what the long-term consequences of the problem can be.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the levels of thyroid hormone in the blood are too low, slowing the metabolism. Estimates of its prevalence vary, but it’s generally more common among women, affecting between 4 and 5 percent of the female population.
Hypothyroidism is also associated with recurrent miscarriages, because thyroid hormones are essential to the growth and metabolism of the developing fetus, and early in pregnancy, the fetus gets those hormones entirely from its mother. Women with hypothyroidism can also be at increased risk of gestational hypertension and other obstetric complications.
However, medication to correct the deficiency is inexpensive and poses minimal risk to the fetus, so early detection – and earlier treatment – could help protect both mother and baby.
In this new study, funded by the Chronic Diseases Office of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and slated to run for three years, researchers will screen and monitor pregnant women through two months after giving birth, using the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test, a widely accepted measure. The women will also be assessed at five and 11 months postpartum to determine how the condition affects long-term maternal health.
“A recent study has shown that even the most aggressive testing fails to identify 37 percent of all thyroid-deficient women,” said principal investigator Dr. James Haddow, co-director of Women & Infants’ Division of Medical Screening and Special Testing, in a news release.
“This is a crucial study,” he added, “because when a thyroid deficiency goes undetected, three aspects of maternal and child health are compromised: the woman’s own health; development of the baby’s brain; and the overall health of the pregnancy.”
All pregnant women with elevated TSH levels are eligible to participate in the study. Mothers interested in participating may call 274-1122, ext. 7358.
Women & Infants Hospital, a member of the Care New England health system, is the primary teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, and the seventh-largest obstetrical service in the country, with more than 9,000 deliveries per year. For more information, go to www.womenandinfants.org.