Maternal overt hypothyroidism and neurobehavioral outcome of neonates: A cohort study from an iodine-deficient area of Northern India

Objective To study the relation between maternal overt hypothyroidism and neurodevelopmental outcome of neonates in iodine-deficient region of Northern India (Kashmir Valley). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Endocrinology department of a tertiary-care hospital. Participants 82 hypothyroid pregnant women were enrolled and followed up till delivery. The neonates born to this group represented the case neonates. 51 euthyroid healthy pregnant women were selected as control group. The neonates born to these mothers served as controls. Main outcome measures Early neonatal behavioral assessment at 3-4 weeks of age. Results The mean TSH and free T4 in neonates of mothers with well controlled hypothyroidism was significantly different from those born to mothers with poorly controlled hypothyroidism and controls in 1st trimester, but the difference was statistically insignificant for 2nd and 3rd trimester values. Conclusion Overt maternal hypothyroidism in iodine-deficient area constitutes a risk factor for an abnormal neurobehavioral development of affected child.