Antenatal Thyroid Dysfunction in Rayalaseema Region: a Preliminary Cross Sectional Study Based on Circulating Serum Thyrotropin Levels

Background: The foetal brain development can be influenced by thyroid gland functioning. Sub normal function of thyroid gland in first trimester of pregnancy leads to miscarriages, stillborn and anomalies of central nervous system in foetus. The environmental factors that will effect thyroid gland functioning are deficit soil iodine, high fluoridation of water and low dietary iodine intake. Rayalaseema is endemic for iodine and most of the communities are suffering from high fluoride levels of water. Therefore study was designed to estimate prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in pregnant women of Rayalaseema region. Materials and Methods: 139 first trimester pregnant women randomly selected from Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Santhiram medical college and General Hospital, Nandyal during the period from April 2013 to June 2013 in respect of inclusion and exclusion criteria. And fasting blood samples of the participants were analyzed for T3, T4 and TSH. Based on the TSH levels subjects were categorised in to euthyroid, hypothyroid, subclinical hypothyroid and hyper thyroid. Results: The prevalence of antenatal thyroid dysfunction is 18.70% [10.0% subclinical hypothyroid, 2.87% overt hypothyroid, 5.75% hyperthyroid and 81.29% euthyroid]. 37.5%tribal, 10.81% rural and 21.21% urban antenatal are suffering from thyroid dysfunction. Median maternal age was 25 years and gestational age was 8.5 weeks. Prevalence of pregnancy related risk factors include 26.92% personnel thyroid history, 11.53% hypertension, 15.38% elevated fasting blood glucose, 30.76 % family thyroid history. Conclusion: Subclinical hypothyroidism was highly prevalent among Rayalaseema region antenatal women at first trimester of pregnancy. Study limitations: Study will not represent other population varies with iodine intake and ethnic.