Newborn Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Dynamicity as per the Antenatal and Perinatal Factors

Background: Recent surge in the diagnoses of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has necessitated the measurement of newborn TSH levels and understanding of the way various antenatal and perinatal factors influence its dynamicity. It is a cross-sectional study on newborns delivered or admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Raipur (AIIMS Raipur), Chhattisgarh, India. Methods: Dried blood spot analysis of newborn thyroid-stimulating hormone (nTSH) was carried out on 1,216 newborns after ethical clearance. The TSH levels were presented in percentage to determine the distribution in the study population. The mean values were compared within the groups categorized under each variable. The newborns' variables in this study included birth weight, Ponderal index, and neonatal complications. The studied maternal variables included antenatal visits, maternal age, gestational age, anemia, and mode of delivery. Results: The mean (standard error of the mean) for nTSH was obtained at 3.37 (0.12) mIU/L and 97% of newborns were below 8 mIU/L. Mean nTSH was significantly high in mothers older than 30 years (P=0.019) and those with anemia during the antenatal period (p <0.001). It was significantly raised in babies with complications (P=0.004). Besides, higher values were also observed in low birth weight babies and those with low Ponderal Index. Higher nTSH was observed among newborns born to mothers with a thyroid disorder, those delivered prematurely and/or by cesarean section, and those with no antenatal visits. Conclusion: It is highly essential to take a precautionary note on the antenatal status of mothers in terms of advanced age, premature delivery, associated maternal diseases, mode of delivery, newborn’s birth weight, and complications which are supposed to influence the dynamicity of thyroid hormones in newborns and result in CH.