The Diverse Upper Reference Limits of Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone on the Same Platform for Pregnant Women in China.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the diverse upper reference limits of serum thyroid stimulating hormone on the same platform for pregnant women in China.
METHODS: The trimester-specific and population-specific TSH reference intervals for pregnant women were established, and then 5 reference intervals on the same platform in China were compared with the reference intervals derived from the present study and the manufacturer.
RESULTS: The most striking difference in the upper reference limits of TSH among 5 reference intervals on the same platform was shown at the first trimester of pregnancy. The calculated regional prevalence rates of subclinical thyroid diseases varied using the data derived from 30,771 pregnant women who visited the largest obstetric center in our district from 2008 to 2018.
CONCLUSION: We reported differences among 7 reference intervals of TSH on the same platform and showed the changing population factors significantly affected them. © American Society for Clinical Pathology 2019. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.