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.
TSH is produced when the hypothalamus releases a substance called thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). TRH then triggers the pituitary gland to release TSH. TSH causes the thyroid gland to make two hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). T3 and T4 help control your body's metabolism.