Thursday, January 31, 2013

Thyroid and Pregnancy - How the Thyroid Affect Your Pregnancy

Many pregnant mothers do see any correlation between thyroid and pregnancy and so don't think it is necessarily important to undergo thyroid diagnostic check before or during pregnancy. Experienced obstetricians will always ask for blood test because there's almost no clear difference between the symptoms of early pregnancy like; insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, lethargy and constipation and that of a thyroid disease, like hypothyroidism whose symptoms in women include; insomnia, nervousness, weight gain, breast milk formation, constipation, sleeping more, loss of energy, severe fatigue, and depression just to name but few. Although, thyroid disease in pregnancy is not too prevalent- about 2-4% of the US population, however, that is still a significant number of the population.
The truth is that it is absolutely necessary to undergo a thyroid test before and during pregnancy. It is every pregnant mother's dream to have a healthy baby, because the health of the baby must always be prioritized. Apart from other possible diseases, a thyroid disease that is not seriously dealt with in pregnancy could have very serious ramifications on the unborn child. For example, a thyroid disease like hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) that is untreated could result in prematurity, placental abruption- a situation where the lining of the placental separate from the mother's uterus, pre-eclampsia-this refers to a pregnancy induced hypertension. The child may also develop deafness, mental retardation and muteness. That's why the relationship between thyroid and pregnancy cannot be ignored or treated with triviality.
A proper diagnosis is as much very important, either before or during pregnancy-even if your doctor fails to mention it; you have to discuss it with him/her as the case maybe. Oftentimes, women with hyperthyroidism experience difficulty getting pregnant as ovulation can be problematic. However, if discovered early and treated well, fetal pregnancy complications can be avoided. In a case where a woman has thyroid disease before pregnancy- close monitoring by a qualified doctor or endocrinologist should be followed while adjustments is made to treatment and medication throughout the pregnancy. Some women with thyroid problems during pregnancy can develop diabetes later in life.
There are cases where pregnant mothers with mild to moderate hypothyroidism are treated fairly easily and if properly managed; their babies would not experience any significant problems. At the end of these therapies, most mothers feel well and even much better than before. A mother diagnosed with hypothyroid disease during her pregnancy should undergo therapy as soon as possible because it is imperative to restore her thyroid hormone levels back for the health of mother and baby.
In some cases of thyroid and pregnancy, it could be Hyperthyroidism during Pregnancy. This is a condition when thyroid gland over produce hormones (T4 or thyroxine and T3 or triiodothyroine) usually caused by overactive tissue within the thyroid. Symptoms among others include morning sickness. Normally, pregnant women with hyperthyroidism are given anti-thyroid medication as part of treatment at the initial stage. The patient is monitored constantly and treatments changes depending on the reaction and condition of the pregnancy.

Source: EzineArticles.com

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