Thyroid Problems And Autism

Thyroid problems that lead to thyroxine deficiency in the mother in weeks 8–12 of pregnancy has been postulated to produce changes in the fetal brain leading to autism.


Thyroxine deficiencies can be caused by inadequate iodine in the diet, and by environmental agents that interfere with iodine uptake or act against thyroid hormones.

Possible environmental agents include flavonoids in food, tobacco smoke, and most herbicides. This hypothesis has not been tested. A related untested hypothesis is that exposure to pesticides could combine with suboptimal iodine nutrition in a pregnant mother and lead to autism in the child.

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