With the popularization of reproductive medicine knowledge, more and more people are paying attention to maternal and child health care. Among them, eugenics, fertility, and prevention of genetic diseases are important links. Some diseases can be inherited, while others will not affect the fetus. So, can pregnant women pass on hypothyroidism to their fetuses?
Pregnant women with hypothyroidism may pass it on to their fetuses, but only the genes that cause hypothyroidism in the fetus will be inherited, and hypothyroidism will not be directly inherited. That is to say, the fetus inherits the gene for hypothyroidism, but it does not necessarily lead to hypothyroidism.
Studies have shown that congenital hypothyroidism in fetuses is rarely caused by genetic diseases, with a probability of about 1 in 2000 to 1 in 4000. Here, it is worth noting that congenital hypothyroidism in fetuses is not only caused by the mother's genetics, but also by the father's involvement. Because only pregnant women have genes for thyroid disease, the fetus cannot be inherited. Only when both parents carry genes for hypothyroidism can the fetus have the possibility of inheritance.
Fetuses with hypothyroidism genes should not be taken lightly and should undergo screening. And parents should pay attention to observing jaundice and height development, because a normal screening result does not necessarily mean that they will not develop thyroid disease in the future.
