Objective: To investigate the neonatal umbilical cord blood thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level in the universal iodized salt areas and put forward the cut-point, then analyze its application.
Methods: Seven provinces were selected where the pregnant women having satisfied urinary iodine levels, then the urinary samples of pregnant women and the neonates cord blood were collected for urine iodine and TSH tests, and the relative factors were also recorded.
Results: Total 1 524 urine and cord blood samples were collected from pregnant women and their new borns respectively. The median urinary iodine of pregnant women was 246.0 micro g/L, and the median TSH was 3.58 mU/L. The TSH level among seven areas and the neonatal delivery type varied significantly.
Conclusions: The neonatal cord blood TSH was influenced by several factors and could not be controlled, thus not be suitable as a iodine deficiency disorders surveillance indicator.