World Thyroid Day is observed every year on May 25. It highlights the importance of thyroid health and also emphasises the need to recognise the burden of thyroid disease around the world. Women, in particular, are at a greater risk of developing the condition than men. In fact, reports suggest that women are 5-8 times more likely than men to develop the condition. Unfortunately, this also includes pregnant women, who may already have the disorder or may develop it during pregnancy. Regardless of when they acquire the disease, if left untreated, it can cause complications for both the mother and the foetus.
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Types Of Thyroid Diseases
The thyroid is a gland that plays a crucial role in your body's metabolism by producing hormones that regulate heart rate, energy levels, and digestion. When this butterfly-shaped gland malfunctions, it causes disruptions in these processes, leading to various health issues.
Two of the most common thyroid disorders are hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, and hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid.
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone, whereas hyperthyroidism produces excess thyroid hormone. Both conditions can impact pregnant women and may affect foetal health.
How Thyroid Disorder Impacts Pregnancy: Common Risks
In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, Dr Shilpa Agrawal, Consultant, High Risk Pregnancy and Foetal Medicine Specialist, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, says, "Thyroid abnormalities in pregnancy can cause maternal and foetal/neonatal morbidity and mortality.
She adds that thyroid dysfunction is common among child-bearing age groups, and therefore, optimum thyroid care is essential during pregnancy.
According to the MSD Manual, while pregnancy does not change the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, the type of thyroid disorder may determine how the foetus is affected.
Common risks associated with hyperthyroidism:
- Slow or less-than-expected growth in the foetus
- Preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy.
- Stillbirth
Dr Agrawal adds maternal effects, which include weight loss, palpitations, heat intolerance, diarrhoea, vomiting, placental abruption, cardiac failure, and thyroid storm.
Common risks associated with hypothyroidism:
- Impaired intellectual development in children
- Miscarriage
Maternal risks include fatigue, edoema, weight gain, preeclampsia, abruption, and postpartum haemorrhage.
Also Read: Here Are The Serious Complications of Pregnancy That You Should Know
Can Pregnant Women With Thyroid Disorder Have A Safe Pregnancy?
Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroiditis are some of the most common thyroid dysfunctions experienced by pregnant women, according to Dr Agrawal.
Around 2–3% of pregnant women experience some form of hypothyroidism, according to StatPearls Publishing. This can be broken down into a more severe overt hypothyroidism, affecting about 0.3% of pregnancies, and a less severe subclinical hypothyroidism, affecting roughly 2% of pregnancies.
In contrast, hyperthyroidism is much less common during pregnancy, occurring in only about 0.1% to 0.4% of pregnancies.
However, in all cases, safe pregnancy is possible with proper preconception care, antenatal care, and postpartum care, Dr Agrawal says.
Some of the important measures include:
- Regular monitoring by blood tests
- Thyroid medications
- Maternal evaluation during antenatal care and foetal ultrasound monitoring
The doctor says the aim is to be euthyroid, which is the state of having normal thyroid gland function, before pregnancy or as early as possible in pregnancy.
Besides thyroid medications prescribed by a doctor, pregnant women with thyroid dysfunction can also consume an iodine-rich diet like dairy foods, seafood, eggs, meat, poultry, and iodised salt. It is important to have a balanced diet, which includes fruits and vegetables. Mild but regular exercises can also help keep thyroid levels in check, Dr Agrawal concludes.