Listen as Dr. Lazarus explains the thyroid related risks for a developing fetus.
Dr. Lazarus:
If the mother is overactive and that is not treated, then that could result in miscarriage. It could result in premature delivery, and those are definite risks. If the mother is hypothyroid, i.e. underactive thyroid, then, again there are obstetric problems with the mother, but the fetus may have an underdeveloped thyroid and that could seriously affect the brain.
In fact, in the old days, that was the case due to iodine deficiency when you had the birth of what you call cretins with very, very low IQ. Now we’re not talking about that; we’re talking about slight reductions of IQ when measured at the age of 7, which is probably the best and biggest study that performed those data.
About Dr. Lazarus, M.D., F.R.C.P., F.A.C.E.:
Dr. John Lazarus is a clinical professor of clinical endocrinology at Cardiff University at Cardiff School of Medicine in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom at the Centre for Endocrine and Diabetes Sciences. The Centre for Endocrine and Diabetes Sciences (CEDS) aims to undertake cutting edge laboratory-based and clinical research in the fields of endocrinology and diabetes.
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