Hypothyroidism, a common endocrine disorder, has been linked to impaired glucose metabolism and is more prevalent in individuals with type 2 diabetes . Notably, maternal thyroid dysfunction may influence the risk of developing gestational diabetes , though this connection remains largely underexplored to date. To investigate further, a meta-analysis analyzed individual data from 63,548 participants across 25 international cohorts to evaluate the association between maternal thyroid function and gestational diabetes risk.
The study found that pregnant women with low free thyroxine (FT4) levels had a higher incidence of gestational diabetes (6.5%) compared to those with normal FT4 levels (3.5%). In contrast, women with mild subclinical hypothyroidism, defined by elevated TSH and normal FT4, did not show an increased risk, suggesting that isolated low FT4 may play a more significant role…
