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Objective. We conducted the study to see the incidence of thyroid dysfunction in women with obstetrical high-risk factors. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed medical charts of high-risk pregnant women who had examination for thyroid function during pregnancy. Women were divided according to clinical presentation, symptoms of thyroid disease and those with a personal history of thyroid disease (thyroid disease, n = 32), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR, n = 115), diabetes mellitus (diabetes, n = 115), hypertension (n = 63), intrauterine fetal death (IUFD, n = 52), and placental abruption (abruption, n = 15). The incidence of thyroid dysfunctions including hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism was compared. Results. The overall prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was 24.7%. The incidence of thyroid dysfunction in each group was as follows: 31% in thyroid disease, 25% in IUGR, 30% in diabetes, 27% in hypertension, 12% in IUFD, and 7% in abruption. Except IUFD, the incidence was not statistically significant from the group of thyroid disease (thyroid disease versus IUFD, P = 0.03 by χ 2 test). Thyroid disease represented for only 10% of all thyroid dysfunctions. Conclusion. Testing of women with a personal history or current symptoms of thyroid disease during pregnancy may be insufficient to detect women with thyroid dysfunction, who will become at high-risk pregnancy.

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Background Newborns exhibit substantial variation in gestational age- and sex-adjusted fat mass proportion. The antecedent characteristics of fetal body composition that are associated with newborn fat mass proportion are poorly understood. Objective The aim of this study was to determine whether a composite measure of fetal fat mass is prospectively associated with newborn adiposity. Methods In a longitudinal study of 109 low-risk pregnancies, fetal ultrasonography was performed at approximately 12, 20 and 30 weeks gestation. Estimated fetal adiposity (EFA) was derived by integrating cross-sectional arm and thigh percent fat area and anterior abdominal wall thickness. Newborn percent body fat was quantified by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry. The association between EFA and newborn percent body fat was determined by multiple linear regression. Results After controlling for confounding factors, EFA at 30 weeks was significantly associated with newborn percent body fat (standardized β = 0.41, p < 0.001) and explained 24.0% of its variance, which was substantially higher than that explained by estimated fetal weight (8.1%). The observed effect was driven primarily by arm percent fat area. Conclusions A composite measure of fetal adiposity at 30 weeks gestation may constitute a better predictor of newborn percent body fat than estimated fetal weight by conventional fetal biometry. Fetal arm fat deposition may represent an early indicator of newborn adiposity. After replication, these findings may provide a basis for an improved understanding of the ontogeny of fetal fat deposition, thereby contributing to a better understanding of its intrauterine determinants and the development of potential interventions.