Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease

Maternal thyroid disease effects the newborn. Antithyroid drugs and maternal thyroid antibodies all cross the placenta. As discussed in the previous article, even mild hypothyroidism may impact mental function in the child. Maternal thyroid stimulating antibodies in women with active or previously treated Graves’ Disease may cause hyperthyroidism in the baby. The baby may be effected by thyroid stimulating antibodies even when the mother has no symptoms. Fetal hyperthyroidism might be suspected if the fetal heart rate is consistently above 160 beats per minute and the antibodies are present in the mother’s blood. In this situation, the baby can be treated by giving the mother anti-thyroid medication.

If you have a family or personal history of thyroid disease, it is vital that you communicate that to your obstetrician and your pediatrician. Pregnancy can mask the symptoms and without proper treatment your baby may be harmed.

For more information: "Perinatal Thyroid Dysfunction: Prenatal Diagnosis and Treatment" by Jorge H. Mestman, MD http://www.medscape.com/Medscape/WomensH...

"Thyroid Disorders and Pregnancy" by G. Becks and G. Burrow published by the Thyroid Foundation of Canada http://home.ican.net/~thyroid/Articles/E...

copyright 1999 Keri Frey Blankenship

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