Journal List > Int J Thyroidol > v.10(1) > 1082702

Choi, Han, Kwak, Park, Kim, Yoon, and Yim: Maternal Thyroid Function during the First Trimester of Pregnancy in Korean Women

초록

Background and Objectives

Thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy can result in many complications for both mother and infant. Due to the physiologic changes in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level during early pregnancy, it is recommend to use trimester-specific reference ranges for every population. We obtained the reference range of TSH during the first trimester in Korean women according to gestational week.

Materials and Methods

The study population consisted of pregnant women who had undergone a TSH screening during the first trimester of pregnancy (n=8365) and nonpregnant women (n=1835).

Results

Median concentration of serum TSH decreased significantly from the 5th to 8th week of gestation (median TSH concentration: 2.00 mIU/L for 5 weeks; 1.70 mIU/L for 6 weeks; 1.40 mIU/L for 7 weeks; 1.05 mIU/L for 8 weeks). However, there was no significant difference in median concentration of serum TSH from the 8th to 12th weeks of gestation. Using the fixed cutoff value of TSH >3.66 mIU/L, the diagnosis rate of subclinical hypothyroidism was 15.0% for 5 weeks, 10.0% for 6 weeks, 5.9% for 7 weeks, and 3.6% for 8-12 weeks.

Conclusion

When interpreting the TSH test for pregnancy (maternal thyroid function), we should consider that the TSH level decreases significantly during the early first trimester.

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Fig. 1.
Serum thyroid stimulating hormone variation according to gestational week in 8365 Korean pregnant women.
ijt-10-36f1.tif
Table 1.
Percentile values of TSH of non-pregnant and each gestational age pregnant women
Gestational weeks Number TSH (mIU/L)
2.5th 5th 25th Median 75th 95th 97.5th p value p value
Non-pregnant Pregnant (week) 1835 0.31 0.59 1.26 1.87 2.73 4.73 5.70    
5 247 0.52 0.69 1.33 2.00 3.00 5.50 6.05   0.061
6 793 0.34 0.48 1.11 1.70 2.59 4.50 5.58 <0.001 <0.001
7 1384 0.08 0.20 0.77 1.40 2.17 3.91 4.73 <0.001 <0.001
8 1762 0.03 0.06 0.49 1.05 1.81 3.50 4.50 <0.001 <0.001
9 1156 0.02 0.03 0.44 0.99 1.72 3.68 4.38 0.058 <0.001
10 374 0.01 0.02 0.35 0.87 1.61 3.36 3.90 0.083 <0.001
11 563 0.00 0.02 0.43 1.07 1.73 3.13 3.52 0.139 <0.001
12 1841 0.02 0.04 0.49 1.03 1.69 3.06 3.57 0.731 <0.001
13 245 0.00 0.02 0.59 1.08 1.80 2.84 3.24 0.303 <0.001

p value represent the median level of this group comparing with the upper gestational week group

p value represent the median level of this group comparing with the non-pregnant group TSH: thyroid stimulating hormone

Table 2.
Prevalence of hypothyroidism with different diagnostic criteria
Gestational weeks Number Prevalence of hypothyroidism, number (%)
ATA criteria >2.5 mIU/L Institute criteria >3.66 mIU/L New ATA criteria >4.0 mIU/L
5 247 84 (34.0) 37 (15.0) 30 (12.1)
6 793 210 (26.5) 79 (10.0) 59 (7.4)
7 1384 248 (17.9) 82 (5.9) 63 (4.6)
8 1762 214 (12.1) 81 (4.6) 58 (3.3)
9 1156 147 (12.7) 58 (5.0) 38 (3.3)
10 374 43 (11.5) 12 (3.2) 7 (1.9)
11 563 62 (11.0) 12 (2.1) 8 (1.4)
12 1841 185 (10.0) 44 (2.4) 30 (1.6)
5-7 2424 542 (22.4) 198 (8.2) 152 (6.3)
8-12 5696 651 (11.4) 207 (3.6) 141 (2.5)
5-12 8120 1193 (14.7) 405 (5.0) 293 (3.6)

ATA: American Thyroid Association

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