Altered thyroid hormone profile in offspring after exposure to high estradiol environment during the first trimester of pregnancy: a cross-sectional study

BMC Medicine

He-Feng Huang¹  Guo-Lian Ding¹  Jian-Zhong Sheng²  Xin-Mei Liu²  Miao-E Liu²  Xiao-Qun Ye²  Jie-Xue Pan²  Fang-Hong Zhang²  Dan Zhang²  Shen Tian²  Gu-Feng Xu²  Xian-Hua Lin²  Shan Dong²  Qian Gao²  Xiao-Lin Hu²  Yan Shen²  Dan-Qin Yu²  Jing-Yi Li²  Ye Liu²  Chun Feng²  Min Lv²  Ye Meng²  Ping-Ping Lv² 

[1]International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 910 Hengshan Road, Shanghai 200030, China

[2]Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, 388 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China

关键词: Thyroid-stimulating hormone;    Thyroid hormone;    Offspring;    In vitro fertilization;    Intrauterine environment;    Estradiol;    Embryo transfer;    Early pregnancy;   

Others  :  1109915
DOI  :  10.1186/s12916-014-0240-0

 received in 2014-08-20, accepted in 2014-11-14,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

The increasing number of babies conceived by in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) shifts concern from pregnancy outcomes to long-time health of offspring. Maternal high estradiol (E₂) is a major characteristic of IVF-ET and lasts throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. The fetal thyroid develops during this period and may thus be affected by exposure to the supra-physiological E₂. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the high E₂ maternal environment in the first trimester increases the risk of thyroid dysfunction in children born following IVF-ET.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was used to carry out face-to-face interviews with consecutive children attending the hospital. A total of 949 singletons born after fresh embryo transfer (ET) (n = 357), frozen ET (n = 212), and natural conception (NC) (n = 380), aged 3 to 10 years old, were included. All children were thoroughly examined. Meanwhile, another 183 newborns, including 55 fresh ET, 48 frozen ET, and 80 NC were studied. Levels of serum T3, FT3, T4, FT4, and TSH and levels of maternal E₂ at different stages of the first trimester were examined.

Results

The mean serum E₂ levels of women undergoing fresh ET during the first trimester of pregnancy were significantly higher than those of the women undergoing frozen ET or following NC. The thyroid hormone profile, especially the levels of T4, FT4, and TSH, were significantly increased in 3- to 10-year-old children conceived by fresh ET compared to NC. The same tendency was confirmed in newborns. However, levels of T4 and TSH in the frozen ET group were nearer to that of the NC group. Furthermore, levels of T4 and FT4 in fresh ET were positively correlated with maternal serum levels of E₂ during early pregnancy.

Conclusions

The maternal high E₂ environment in the first trimester is correlated with increased risk of thyroid dysfunction. Frozen ET could reduce risks of thyroid damage in children conceived by IVF. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to better determine the underlying molecular mechanisms and clinical significance.

Trial registration

ChicCTR-OCC-14004682 webcite (22-05-2014)

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Lv et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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