Effect of vitamin A on the relationship between maternal thyroid hormones in early pregnancy and fetal growth: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundFetal growth patterns are influenced by maternal thyroid function and vitamin A level during pregnancy. Vitamin A presents interactions with thyroid tissues and hormonal systems. We examined whether vitamin A status modified the associations of maternal thyroid hormones in early pregnancy and fetal growth outcomes among euthyroid pregnant women in a prospective cohort study (n = 637).MethodsWe performed multiple linear regression and multinomial logistic regression analysis to investigate the effects of thyroid hormones in early pregnancy on fetal growth according to different levels of serum vitamin A based on median value.ResultsA 1 pmol/L increase in maternal free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels was associated with an increased birth weight of 0.080 kg (p = 0.023) in women with lower maternal vitamin A levels in early pregnancy. Increased maternal free thyroxine (FT4) was associated with decreased odds for both small size for gestational age (SGA) [odds ratios (OR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45–0.95] and large size for gestational age (LGA) (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.45–0.98) in women with higher vitamin A level in early pregnancy after adjustment for maternal prepregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, maternal employed, parity, gestational week at sampling, and gestational diabetes mellitus.ConclusionsIn Chinese pregnant women without overt thyroid dysfunction, maternal FT4 in early pregnancy was positively associated with optimal fetal growth among women with higher serum vitamin A concentrations.