The Effect of Tobacco Exposure on Maternal and Fetal Thyroid Function

ABSTRACT Smoking has adverse effects on thyroid function in nonpregnant women. For example, a previous study found a small but statistically significant decrease in the concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH) in smokers compared to nonsmokers, and a recent meta-analysis found that the risk of Graves’ disease was three-fold greater among smokers than in those who had never smoked; cessation of smoking decreased the risk. However, data on the effects …