Histological study of thyroid gland among fetus in different age groups

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: The importance of thyroid gland is to promote growth and development of the brain during fetal life and for the first few years of postnatal life. Iodine deficiency is the single most common cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage in the world. Objective: To correlate the weight of fetal thyroid with body weight, crown-rump length, and estimated gestational age of fetus. To study microscopic structure of the human thyroid in gestational age groups of normal, still born fetuses. To correlate the size of thyroid follicles with increasing gestational age. To study the nature and amount of colloid content of the follicles at different stages of development. Results: In the present study it was observed that the weight of thyroid gland showed gradual increases with increase in gestational age of fetus. It was observed that presence of first colloid containing follicles occurred much earlier in the camel embryo. This may be associated with the relatively advanced state of body development in camels at birth. Conclusion: The increase in weight of thyroid gland in human fetuses seems to be directly proportional to the Increase in the body weight of fetuses, Increase in crown-rump length of fetuses, Increase in estimated gestational age.