Prevalence of Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Pregnancy Outcome in Euthyroid Autoimmune Positive Pregnant Women from a Tertiary Care Center in Haryana.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of thyroid peroxidase autoantibody in euthyroid pregnant women and to evaluate the association between thyroid peroxidase autoantibody and pregnancy outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand thirty consecutive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic over a period of 1 year and were carrying a healthy singleton uncomplicated intrauterine pregnancy and consuming iodized salt were recruited for the study. Outcomes of the pregnancy was compared between TPO antibody positive euthyroid women (group 1) and TPO antibody negative euthyroid women (group 2).

RESULTS: Out of 1030 women, 164 (18.9%) were detected TPO antibody positive with euthyroid status. The mean FT4 and TSH level were significantly different in those who were TPO Ab positive as compared TPO Ab negative euthyroid pregnant women. No correlation was observed between the maternal age, gestational age and gravidity with anti TPO antibody levels. Eighteen (12%) women in Group 1and 5 (3.3%) women in Group 2 had miscarriages and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P value of 0.004). Twenty-one (14%) women in Group 1 and 5 (3.3%) women in Group 2 had preterm deliveries, which was also found to be statistically significantly (p value of 0.001). Other pregnancy related complications like Intrauterine death, IUGR, preeclampsia and PIH though are present in comparatively higher number in TPO Ab positive euthyroid pregnant women as compared to TPO Ab negative euthyroid pregnant women but this difference was not found to be statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: To conclude with the present study shows that a good number of pregnant women with euthyroid status have TPO Ab positivity and this is associated with some adverse pregnancy outcomes like miscarriage and preterm birth of the baby.