Objective:

To examine the association between maternal thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and ASD risk in offspring.

Key Findings:

• 8.6% of mothers showed abnormal thyroid function.
• No significant difference in ASD incidence between offspring of mothers with normal and abnormal thyroid function (log-rank P = .27).
• Chronic hypothyroidism alone was not significantly associated with ASD (aHR 0.47).
• Combined chronic and gestational hypothyroidism was associated with higher ASD risk (aHR 2.61).
• Longer exposure to hypothyroidism during pregnancy increased ASD risk (1 trimester: aHR 1.69; 2 trimesters: aHR 2.39; 3 trimesters: aHR 3.25).

Interpretation:

Adequately treated chronic hypothyroidism does not increase ASD risk, while persistent hormonal imbalance across trimesters is linked to elevated risk, underscoring the need for effective management.

Limitations:

• Retrospective design may introduce bias.
• Potential confounding factors not fully controlled.
• Data accuracy may be affected by the retrospective nature of the study.

Conclusion:

Routine thyroid function screening and timely treatment during pregnancy are crucial to mitigate ASD risk.