Thyroid Hormone Levels During Pregnancy: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Survey of the Healthy Gestational Population Living Kinshasa, DRC

¹Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo

²Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo

³Faculty of Medicine, University of Mbandaka, Equateur, DR Congo

⁴Marie Biamba-Mutombo Hospital, Kinshasa, DR Congo

⁵General Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo

⁶Faculty of Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

*Corresponding Author: Joel Tuakuila, Ph.D, Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, The DRC. 16, Tel: +243-81-934-7828 E-mail: [email protected]

Received Date: August 18, 2025

Published Date: October 22, 2025

Citation: Katanga AM, et al. (2025). Thyroid Hormone Levels During Pregnancy: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Survey of the Healthy Gestational Population Living Kinshasa, DRC. Mathews J Case Rep. 10(4):212.

Copyrights: Katanga AM, et al. © (2025).

ABSTRACT

Background. Thyroid hormones for fetal growth and development are mainly dependent on the stage of pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, requiring the proper maternal thyroid function. Objectives. To describe the thyroid profile of a hospital-based cross-sectional survey of 100 healthy women living in Kinshasa. Methods. Mindray chemiluminescence analyzer in detecting thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free and total triiodothyronine (FT3, TT3), and free and total thyroxine (FT4, TT4). Results. The Reference intervals (RIs) in plasma were proposed as follows: TSH 0.09 to 4.34 μIU/mL, FT3 1.46 to 3.35 pg/mL, FT4 0.62 to 1.25 ng/dL, TT3 0.71 to 2.04 ng/mL, and TT4 7.09 to 17.77 μg/dL. The specific RIs of TSH vs FT4 vs FT3 were respectively 0.22 - 2.66 μIU/mL vs 0.71-1.25 ng/dL vs 0.71-1.59 pg/mL in the first trimester, 0.09 - 4.34 μIU/mL vs 0.62-1.22 ng/dL vs 0.86-2.04 pg/mL in the second trimester, and 0.71-3.40 μIU/mL vs 0.72-0.99 ng/dL vs 0.86-1.66 pg/mL in the third trimester. No subject had hypothyroidism risk, but 6% of subclinical hyperthyroidism prevalence was found. Conclusions. The findings of this study suggest to undertake a national program extending thyroid function screening as recommended by the American Thyroid Association as well as the European Thyroid Association.

Keywords: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free and Total Triiodothyronine (FT3, TT3), and Free and Total Thyroxine (FT4, TT4), Gestational Population, Kinshasa.