However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are some risk factors that are known to increase the risk of a NTD: 1  A previous NTD-affected pregnancy makes it approximately 20x more likely that a woman will have another NTD-affected pregnancy. 2  Maternal insulin-dependent diabetes.
High levels of TSH in the blood stream typically signal that the thyroid is underperforming. TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone is a hormone produced in the anterior pituitary gland. This is used to help stimulate the thyroid to produce triiodothyronine (T3) or thyroxine (T4), hormones that help stimulate the metabolism.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is produced by the adenohypophysis. It promotes development of the thyroid gland and maintenance of its normal function. TSH stimulates the thyroid to produce and release the thyroid hormones: T4 and T3 (hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis). Measurement of TSH frequently is included with that of T4 and T3 in a laboratory panel to screen for and to evaluate thyroid disease.