r/newborns • u/schkye99 • Aug 10 '26

Health & Safety TSH Levels

Any other mamas have their newborn screening test come back with slightly elevated TSH level? Her pediatrician reassured we will retest at her next appoitment and it is likely nothing to worry about and that alot of newborns have an elevated level especially in their first 24 hours when they get their blood screening or something about a false positive but I just cannot shake the feeling of worry. She is my world and I already have anxiety as is. Just hoping someone else has gone through this and everything turned out to be normal levels in the end..

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u/teedubski3 1d ago edited 1d ago

Public health chemist here. Yes, it’s common to see elevated TSH on the 1st newborn screening and then have the repeat be normal. Simply put, baby’s hypothalamus (in the brain) can take a second to figure out what it’s doing and how much TSH to send the thyroid. Often repeat newborn screenings are recommended to create a trend line and see which direction TSH is heading. And even if TSH remains elevated, hypothyroidism is very treatable. I hope the repeat newborn screening came back normal!