Worldwide research landscape of psychiatric emergency medicine: A bibliometric review from 2014 to 2023.

Fetal goiter is referred to as an abnormal enlargement of the fetal thyroid gland, which can occur independently of thyroid function but is frequently associated with functional abnormalities [–]. With a reported range of approximately 1 in 30,000 to 50,000 pregnancies, fetal goiter is an extremely rare pathology [, –]. The more easily determined incidence of congenital hypothyroidism is estimated at 1 in 2,000 to 5,000 live births [, , ]. Among those fetuses with congenital hypothyroidism, fetal goiter affects abou 3 to 15% [, ]. With a ratio of 1:2, female fetuses are affected more often than males []. Since its antenatal diagnosis by US first described in 1980, several case reports have been published, especially in the recent years []. Fetal goiters arise primarily from disruptions in thyroid hormone production or regulation during fetal development []. Primary contributing factors include genetic mutations resulting in dyshormonogenesis, pregnancy-related changes like maternal autoimmune disorders or exposure to antithyroid medications during pregnancy [–]. As a heterogeneous disorder, thyroid dyshormonogenesis-associated congenital hypothyroidism is caused by genetic defects in any of the known thyroid-specific pathways involved in hormone biosynthesis [–]. Fetal goiters are typically accompanied by the clinical appearance of congenital hypothyroidism (goitrous hypothyroidism) [, , ]. The majority of cases with congenital goiters occur in mothers with known thyroid disorder, commonly Graves’ disease, whereas in cases without maternal thyroid pathology, dyshormonogenesis is the main cause [, ].