Boys born to mothers with unbalanced hormones ‘more likely to become aggressive or depressed’

By Tom Campbell via SWNS

Boys born to mothers with unbalanced hormones are more likely to become aggressive or depressed in preschool, warns a new study.

Adjusting a woman's thyroid hormones during the first three months of pregnancy could help prevent young boys from developing behavioral problems, say scientists.

The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, produces hormones which are crucial for the normal development of a baby's brain and help regulate body functions like heart rate and body temperature.

During a pregnant woman's first trimester (three months), babies depend on their mother's thyroid hormone supply which comes through the placenta.

But these hormones, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4), can fluctuate widely during pregnancy, impacting the child's behavioral development.

Now, researchers in China have found children who are exposed to high or low levels of thyroid hormone in the womb are more likely to develop behavioral problems later in life.

"Our findings highlight the significance of close monitoring and management of maternal thyroid function during pregnancy,"said author Dr. Kun Huang at the Anhui Medical University.

"This research presents a new perspective in early intervention of children's emotional and behavioral problems.”

While having an overactive or underactive thyroid gland can affect anyone, it is much more common among women between the ages of 20 and 40.

It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including mood swings, difficulty sleeping, sensitivity to heat, twitching or trembling, swelling and weight loss.

The researchers studied 1,860 mothers and their children from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort in China.

Mothers' thyroid hormone levels were measured during their first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Four years later, families completed a checklist to determine whether the child displayed any behavioral problems.

Boys born to mothers with high thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy were more likely to be withdrawn and be anxious or depressed, the researchers found.

In contrast, moderate and low thyroid hormone levels were associated with aggressive behavior in preschool boys.

Normal thyroid hormone levels can vary depending on the patient's age and the exact testing technique used by the laboratory.

A woman's thyroid hormone levels should therefore be closely monitored during pregnancy, the researchers say, as early intervention could prove crucial.

Around 4.4 million children aged between three and 17 in the UK have been diagnosed with anxiety, while 1.9 million suffer from depression.

The type and frequency of mental health disorder among young people often varies depending on gender and age group.

While boys are more likely to suffer from mental health problems when they are young, between the ages of five and 10, teenage girls are more at risk of emotional disorders.

The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.