Affiliations: [a] Department of General Surgery, Ankara Oncology Hospital, Ankara, Turkey | [b] Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey | [c] Division of Perinatology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Kemal Beksac, Department of General Surgery, Ankara Oncology Hospital, Ankara 06200, Turkey. Tel.: +90 5334672095; E-mail: kemalbeksac@gmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Thyroglobulin (anti-TG) and/or thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) autoantibodies are associated with higher rates of poor gestational outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the impact of anti-TPO and anti-TG autoantibodies on the gestational outcomes of euthyroid pregnant women with a history of poor gestational outcome and thyroid gland disorders. METHODS: This retrospective study included totally 75 euthyroid pregnant, 30 of women with high thyroid autoantibodies (Anti-TPO/Thyroglobulin-positive group) and 45 of them without autoantibodies (control group). RESULTS:We could not demonstrate significant differences between two groups in terms of risk factors/co-morbidities, obstetric complications, gestational outcomes, and birth data (p> 0.05). However, enhanced miscarriage rates were observed among the Anti-TPO/Thyroglobulin-positive and control groups without significance (36.7% and 17.8% respectively, p= 0.116). High neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates were found for control and Anti-TPO/Thyroglobulin-positive groups (16.2% and 21.1%, respectively) (p= 0.720). Clinically, we compared the two groups in terms of the existence and the types of goiter (diffuse and nodular), and demonstrated that nodular goiter was statistically more frequent in the control group (40.0% vs. 8.7%, p= 0.015). Alongside, relatively high hereditary thrombophilia and type-2 diabetes mellitus rates were found in the Anti-TPO/Thyroglobulin-positive group (20.0% and 20.0%). CONCLUSION: Thyroid autoantibody positivity is likely a risk factor for early pregnancy loss and NICU admission.
