Researchers have found that ongoing thyroid hormone imbalance in pregnancy may be linked to higher autism risk in children. Treated thyroid disorders did not show the same effect. The longer the imbalance lasted across trimesters, the more the risk appeared to rise. The study underscores the need for consistent thyroid monitoring.
FULL STORY
Persistent thyroid hormone disruption during pregnancy appears to increase the likelihood of autism in children, especially when the imbalance spans multiple trimesters. Regular testing and treatment may help reduce this risk. Credit: Shutterstock
Women who experience continuing thyroid hormone irregularities throughout pregnancy may face a higher chance of having a child diagnosed with autism, according to a study released in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Thyroid hormones supplied by the mother play an important role in fetal neurodevelopment. When these hormones become disrupted during pregnancy, previous work has linked the imbalance to atypical brain development and a higher likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism is a multifaceted condition that shapes how an individual communicates, interacts socially and interprets the world.
"We found that while adequately treated chronic thyroid dysfunction was not associated with increased autism risk in offspring, ongoing imbalance across multiple trimesters was," said Idan Menashe, Ph.D., of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel. "These findings underscore the need for routine monitoring and timely adjustment of therapy to maintain normal thyroid hormone levels throughout pregnancy."
Large Birth Cohort Shows Clear Pattern
The research tracked more than 51,000 births and reported that mothers with persistent thyroid hormone imbalance across pregnancy had an increased likelihood of having children with autism.
The authors also documented a dose-response pattern, meaning the risk rose as the number of affected trimesters increased.
Research Team and Publication Information
Other contributors to the study include Leena Elbedour of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; May Weinberg of the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, Israel, and Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel; Gal Meiri of the Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel, and the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Analya Michaelovski of the Soroka University Medical Center.
No funding was received for this research.
"Maternal Thyroid Hormone Imbalance and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder," was published online, ahead of print.
Story Source:
Materials provided by The Endocrine Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Leena Elbedour, May Weinberg, Gal Meiri, Analya Michaelovski, Idan Menashe. Maternal Thyroid Hormone Imbalance and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, 2025; DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaf596[1]
Cite This Page:
The Endocrine Society. "Simple thyroid check in pregnancy may lower autism risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 November 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm>.
The Endocrine Society. (2025, November 29). Simple thyroid check in pregnancy may lower autism risk. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 29, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm
The Endocrine Society. "Simple thyroid check in pregnancy may lower autism risk." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm (accessed November 29, 2025).
Mar. 26, 2025 — People with autism are typically diagnosed by clinical observation and assessment. To deconstruct the clinical decision process, which is often subjective and difficult to describe, researchers used ...
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Researchers have found that ongoing thyroid hormone imbalance in pregnancy may be linked to higher autism risk in children. Treated thyroid disorders did not show the same effect. The longer the imbalance lasted across trimesters, the more the risk appeared to rise. The study underscores the need for consistent thyroid monitoring.
FULL STORY
Persistent thyroid hormone disruption during pregnancy appears to increase the likelihood of autism in children, especially when the imbalance spans multiple trimesters. Regular testing and treatment may help reduce this risk. Credit: Shutterstock
Women who experience continuing thyroid hormone irregularities throughout pregnancy may face a higher chance of having a child diagnosed with autism, according to a study released in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Thyroid hormones supplied by the mother play an important role in fetal neurodevelopment. When these hormones become disrupted during pregnancy, previous work has linked the imbalance to atypical brain development and a higher likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism is a multifaceted condition that shapes how an individual communicates, interacts socially and interprets the world.
"We found that while adequately treated chronic thyroid dysfunction was not associated with increased autism risk in offspring, ongoing imbalance across multiple trimesters was," said Idan Menashe, Ph.D., of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel. "These findings underscore the need for routine monitoring and timely adjustment of therapy to maintain normal thyroid hormone levels throughout pregnancy."
Large Birth Cohort Shows Clear Pattern
The research tracked more than 51,000 births and reported that mothers with persistent thyroid hormone imbalance across pregnancy had an increased likelihood of having children with autism.
The authors also documented a dose-response pattern, meaning the risk rose as the number of affected trimesters increased.
Research Team and Publication Information
Other contributors to the study include Leena Elbedour of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; May Weinberg of the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, Israel, and Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel; Gal Meiri of the Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel, and the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Analya Michaelovski of the Soroka University Medical Center.
No funding was received for this research.
"Maternal Thyroid Hormone Imbalance and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder," was published online, ahead of print.
Story Source:
Materials provided by The Endocrine Society. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Leena Elbedour, May Weinberg, Gal Meiri, Analya Michaelovski, Idan Menashe. Maternal Thyroid Hormone Imbalance and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, 2025; DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaf596[1]
Cite This Page:
The Endocrine Society. "Simple thyroid check in pregnancy may lower autism risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 November 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm>.
The Endocrine Society. (2025, November 29). Simple thyroid check in pregnancy may lower autism risk. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 29, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm
The Endocrine Society. "Simple thyroid check in pregnancy may lower autism risk." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm (accessed November 29, 2025).
Mar. 26, 2025 — People with autism are typically diagnosed by clinical observation and assessment. To deconstruct the clinical decision process, which is often subjective and difficult to describe, researchers used ...
Jan. 22, 2025 — Maternal stress hormone levels during early pregnancy can have a lasting effect on the stress system of the offspring. The results of a long-term study on wild Assamese macaques in Thailand indicate ...
Oct. 10, 2023 — Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes have recently been associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease later in life. But a new study has found obesity ...
Mar. 1, 2023 — High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of thinking problems later in life, according to a study. Researchers found that those with these disorders had a ...
July 6, 2022 — Older people with hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, may be at increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new study. The risk of developing dementia was even higher for ...
