title: Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy and behavioral problems in the offspring: the generation R study.
abstract: Maternal thyroid function during pregnancy is implicated in the neurodevelopment of the offspring, yet little is known about the effect of maternal thyroid parameters on the behavior of children. We investigated the association of maternal thyroid function during the first half of pregnancy with parent-reported problem behavior of the offspring up to age of 3 y. In the Generation R study, a population-based cohort of 3736 children and their mothers, data on maternal thyroid function and child's behavior were examined. The degree of internalizing and externalizing problems in the children were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist at ages 1½ and 3 y. Higher levels of maternal TSH during pregnancy predicted a higher externalizing scores in children at 1½ and 3 y (B = 0.22 per SD of TSH; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.40; B = 0.10 per SD for internalizing scores; 95% CI: -0.01, 0.21). Maternal free thyroxine (T4) and total T4 were not associated with internalizing or externalizing scores of children. The linear relationship with more externalizing scores was across the range of TSH; this implies that subtle impairments of maternal thyroid function may affect the child. The results suggest that thyroid function is crucial for fetal brain development, which determines problem behavior later in life.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study, and Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Akhgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghassabian
authors.forename: Jacoba J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bongers-Schokking
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henrichs
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.forename: Theo J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Sabine M P F
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de Muinck Keizer-Schrama
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hooijkaas
authors.forename: Eric A P
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Steegers
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Verhulst
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Ende
authors.forename: Yolanda B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: de Rijke
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiemeier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression; D001288:Attention; D057189:Checklist; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002652:Child Behavior; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine