The Journal of Practical Medicine >

2026 , Vol. 42 >Issue 15: 2779 - 2785

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.15.014

Treatise：Mechanism and Practice

Effects of iron supplementation on thyroid function and autoantibodies in pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction

  • Haiyou WANG ,
  • Xueting LIU ,
  • Wenhuan LIAO ,
  • Xiaoyu WANG ,
  • Zhibao CHENG ,
  • Yujie XU ,
  • Yixing GAO ,
  • Jingyuan XIONG ,
  • Yunhui GONG ,
  • Guo CHENG
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  • 1.West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital，Sichuan University，Chengdu 610041，Sichuan，China
    2.West China Women and Children Nutrition Center，West China Second Hospital，Sichuan University，Chengdu 610041，Sichuan，China
    3.Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children，Sichuan University，Ministry of Education，Chengdu 610041，Sichuan，China
    4.Department of Oncology，the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University，Chongqing 400038，Chongqing，China
    5.Key Laboratory of Active Health and Food Nutrition Safety of Sichuan Province，Chengdu 610041，Sichuan，China
    6.Department of Obstetrics，West China Second University Hospital，Sichuan University，Chengdu 610041，Sichuan，China
    7.Key Laboratory of Children's Drugs of Sichuan Province，Chengdu 610041，Sichuan，China

Received date: 2026-05-19

  Revised date: 2026-06-17

  Accepted date: 2026-06-18

  Online published: 2026-08-13

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Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of iron supplementation on thyroid function indices and thyroid-related autoantibodies in pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction under different iron nutritional statuses. Methods This retrospective cohort study recruited 353 pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction who registered for antenatal care at a tertiary Grade-A maternal and child health hospital in Chengdu， China， from November 2024 to August 2025. Based on the baseline iron nutritional status （iron deficiency vs. iron sufficiency） and exposure to iron supplementation， the participants were naturally divided into four groups. The changes in thyroid function indices and autoantibody levels before and after iron supplementation were compared among the groups. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between iron supplementation and changes in thyroid function indices and autoantibody levels under different iron nutritional statuses. Results Among iron-deficient pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction， statistically significant differences were detected between the iron-supplemented and non-supplemented groups in free thyroxine （FT4） ［β（95%CI）： -4.75 （-7.73 - -1.76）， P = 0.002］， thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH） ［β（95%CI）： -1.84 （-3.49 - -0.18）， P = 0.030］， and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody （TPOAb） ［β（95%CI）： -271.33 （-423.84 - -118.82）， P < 0.001］. Among iron-sufficient pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction， iron supplementation was linked to a reduction in anti-thyroglobulin antibody （TGAb） levels ［β（95%CI）： -41.74 （-75.69 - -7.79）， P = 0.016］. No associations were identified between iron supplementation and triiodothyronine （T3）， thyroxine （T4）， or free triiodothyronine （FT3）. Conclusions In pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction， iron supplementation is associated with specific changes in thyroid function parameters and autoantibody levels. Moreover， prophylactic iron supplementation effectively mitigates thyroid autoimmune responses in iron-sufficient pregnant women.

Key words： thyroid dysfunction; pregnancy; iron supplementation; thyroid autoantibodies; iron nutritional status

Cite this article

Haiyou WANG , Xueting LIU , Wenhuan LIAO , Xiaoyu WANG , Zhibao CHENG , Yujie XU , Yixing GAO , Jingyuan XIONG , Yunhui GONG , Guo CHENG . Effects of iron supplementation on thyroid function and autoantibodies in pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction[J]. The Journal of Practical Medicine, 2026 , 42(15) : 2779 -2785 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.15.014

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