What Causes Cretinism

Cretinism is a condition of severe physical and mental retardation due to iodine deficiency, and specifically due to deficiency of thyroid hormones during early pregnancy.

What is congenital hyperthyroidism?

Congenital hyperthyroidism was first recognized in infants born to mothers with Graves’ disease. The description of transplacental passage of the maternal thyroid stimulating antibodies elucidated the molecular mechanism in this major group of patients with “autoimmune congenital hyperthyroidism”.

Why does the lack of iodine cause cretinism?

In contrast, in severe iodine deficiency, maternal hypothyroidism does occur during pregnancy and the contribution of maternal thyroxine to the saturation of the triiodothyronine receptors of the brain of the growing fetus is decreased, resulting in the development of the neurological features of endemic cretinism.