Thyroid Antibodies in Different Trimesters of Pregnancy among Women Attending Ante-natal Clinics in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Ezeiruaku Ferdinand C; Patrick Precious.O

Volume : IX, Issue : IV, April - 2020

Thyroid Antibodies in Different Trimesters of Pregnancy among Women Attending Ante-natal Clinics in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Ezeiruaku Ferdinand C, Patrick Precious. O

Abstract :

Background: The changes in thyroid functions and the consequences of thyroid antibodies during pregnancy have grown recently. It has been established that the presence of thyroid auto antibodies is relatively high in women of child be� age with the risk of spontaneous and recurrent pregnancy loss and preterm delivery. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and establish the level of serum thyroid antibodies in the different trimesters of pregnancy among Euthyroid pregnant women attending ante–natal clinics in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Design/method: A total number of 648 pregnant women and 224 non pregnant women were used for the study. The serum thyroid Peroxidase (TPO–ab), and thyroglobulin (TG–ab) antibodies were measured using Enzymes Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method. Result: The result of the study showed that 94.14% of the screened pregnant women were euthyroid, 2.62% were hyperthyroid and 1.08% hypothyroid. The result revealed significant elevations (P<0.05) in the mean values for TPO – antibody in the first trimester (21.4 � 4.75 iu/ml) when compared to the control groups (16.09 �2.30) and a steady decrease in the second trimester (18.19�2.71 iu/ml) and third trimester (17.65 �1.81 iu/ml) of pregnancy. The decrease in the Tg–antibody for the three trimesters were not statistically significance (P>0.05). The levels of the TPO–ab and Tg–ab parallel the result obtained for the Free T4 in euthyroid pregnant women in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State with a significant decrease in the mean value for third trimester (13.55 � 6.23 pmol/l) as compared to the control value (20.15 �5.31 pmol/l). The result also showed a steady increase in thyroid stimulating hormone with progression of pregnancy. Further analysis showed a negative correlation between the different gestational period of pregnancy and the thyroid antibodies. A total of 2.16 percent of the screened euthyroid pregnant women in Yenagoa had TPO–Ab elevated, signifying the TPO–Ab positivity and it is the major cause of thyroid autoimmunity among pregnant women. Conclusion. The study has revealed the presence of TPO antibody among pregnant women in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria especially in the first trimester of pregnancy with a statistically significant mean value when compared with the control group. This elevated level of the serum TPO–Ab and Tg–Ab decreases with the progression of the pregnancy.