In this study the serum TSH, T4 and T3 concentrations of goitrous and non-goitrous pregnant women and their cord blood were evaluated. A significant difference was found between the thyroid hormone values of goitrous and non-goitrous pregnant women. The mean T4 level of goitrous pregnant women was significantly lower than the control group whereas the mean T3 and TSH levels of the goitrous cases were significantly higher than the control group.

The mean cord blood T4 level of goitrous mothers was significantly lower than the control group whereas the difference in the T3 level between the two groups was not significant.

Out of 100 cord blood samples from goitrous mothers, 13 were within the hypothyroid range (high TSH and low T4). During the second evaluation of the hypothyroid infants, five of them still had a low T4 and a high TSH and two of them displayed a delay in bone age. All of them had goiter.

Keywords: endemic goiter, thyroid hormones, thyrotropin, goitrous pregnant women, cord blood, hypothyroidism