Husband smoking is associated with Wife's thyrotropin abnormality: A population-based cohort study among Chinese reproductive-aged women

Objectives

To comprehensively assess the association of husband smoking with wives’ thyrotropin abnormality.

Methods

This population-based retrospective cohort study included 2 406 090 Chinese reproductive-aged women who had participated twice in the National Free Pre-pregnancy Checkups Project between 2010 and 2020. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for subnormal and supranormal thyrotropin were estimated according to the husband's smoking status.

Results

Husband smoking at the first visit was associated with a 17% (15%–20%) and 26% (24%–28%) increased odds of subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin respectively compared to participants in neither-smoker group. In non-smoking participants with normal thyrotropin levels at the first visit, the corresponding increased risk of subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin at the second visit were 15% (12%–18%) and 19% (16%–21%) in contrast to participants without husband-smoking exposure. In non-smoking participants with abnormal thyrotropin levels at their first visit, husband smoking cessation was associated with 27% (17%–35%) and 36% (31%–40%) reduced odds of subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin at the second visit compared with the participants whose husband still smoking at the second visit.

Conclusion

Husband smoking was associated with wives’ subnormal thyrotropin and supranormal thyrotropin, and cessation of husband smoking could reduce the odds of thyrotropin abnormality. Couple-focused smoking intervention should be developed to reduce the burden of asymptomatic thyroid disease in females.