Thyrotropin and Thyroid Antibodies in Sudanese Women with Recurrent Miscarriage

Abstract

Background: Recurrent spontaneous miscarriage (RSM) is defined classically as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses prior to the 20th week of gestation. The etiology of recurrent spontaneous miscarriage is often unclear and has much controversy regarding diagnosis and treatment. Objectives: To monitor the effect of TSH level on pregnancy outcome and to determine the effect of positive thyroid antibody among miscarriage women. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional case-control hospital-based study included patients attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit at Khartoum Teaching Hospital and Omdurman New Hospital with recurrent miscarriage during the period from June 2008 to Jan 2009. Thyrotropin and thyroid antibodies (TSH, TPO-Ab and Tg-Ab) were measured for the two groups using radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. Results: There was a significant elevation in the concentration of TSH in the target group (p-value = 0.0001). Seventy percent (70%) of the control group had TSH levels below normal. The presence of positive TPO-Ab in the target and control groups was 26.66% and 42.5% respectively. The presence of positive Tg-Ab in the target group was (3.33%). The study observed that the TSH concentration was increased in women with positive antibodies in the patients group. Conclusion: Thyroid antibodies could be detected in pregnant women and still they can reach term and have babies when the concentration of TSH is low during the first trimester, but the risk of miscarriage could be high in positive thyroid antibodies pregnant women when the TSH level is relatively normal in the first trimester.