Physical Abuse during Childhood Associated with Thyroid Disorders in Women

Women abused during childhood are more likely to experience thyroid-related problems later in life, a new study found.

"We found a significant association with thyroid disorders for women who were abused during childhood," Esme Fuller Thomson, professor and chair at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Social Work, lead author of the study said in a news release.

Previous research has shown that abuse can lead to several chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

Effects of trauma faced in childhood stays in later life due to the changes in immune response and increased levels of stress factors. In women, child abuse can also lead to early or late menarche.

The present study was based on data from nearly 13,000 schools in Canada. In this group, about 1,000 girls had been physically abused as kids and about 900 had developed problems associated with the thyroid.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that is associated with production of hormones that control metabolism and other important body functions to the link.

In the present study, the relation between thyroid disorders and physical abuse was highlighted even after researchers looked for and tried adjusting other factors.

"We originally thought the link would be explained by factors such as daily stress, smoking or alcohol abuse - characteristics associated with both childhood physical abuse and thyroid disorders - but even after adjusting for 14 potential explanatory factors, women who had been physically abused in childhood had 40% higher odds of thyroid disorders than their non-abused peers," Fuller Thomson added.

The study is published in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma.

Physical abuse not only disrupts a woman's life, but also of the future generation. Even mild maternal thyroid hormone deficiency could lead to neurodevelopment complications in the fetus, says a National Center for Biotechnology (NCBI) paper.