Pregnancy Induced Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism occurs when thyroid hormone levels are low due to the thyroid not functioning properly. Sometimes, hypothyroidism can be caused by pregnancy. This is known as pregnancy induced hypothyroidism. Pregnancy induced hypothyroidism may or may not go away after giving birth.

Antibodies Produced During Pregnancy. Sometimes a woman's body produces antibodies against her thyroid during pregnancy. The most common are Hashimoto's antibodies which often cause hypothyroidism. Once your body produces thyroid antibodies, they are usually permanent and will not go away after giving birth. This type of pregnancy induced hypothyroidism normally requires treatment with thyroid hormone replacement medication during pregnancy and after for the rest of your life.

Hormone Changes During Pregnancy. Sometimes pregnancy induced hypothyroidism can be caused by the hormone changes that occur in a woman's body when she is pregnant. When caused by hormonal changes, hypothyroidism usually comes on fairly early in the pregnancy and lasts throughout the pregnancy, requiring treatment with thyroid hormone replacement medication while the woman is pregnant. This type of pregnancy induced hypothyroidism can go away soon after giving birth, requiring no further treatment with thyroid hormone replacement medication unless a later pregnancy causes the hypothyroidism to return.

Hypothyroid Symptoms. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can be mistaken for common pregnancy ailments such as weight gain, fatigue, weakness, and muscle aches. Further symptoms of hypothyroidism can include dry skin, course/dry hair, hair loss, constipation, depression, irritability, memory loss, cold intolerance, and loss of libido. If you have any of these symptoms or if "pregnancy ailments" seem continual and bothersome, it is a good idea to ask your doctor to run some blood tests to check your thyroid levels.

The Importance of Treating Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy. Untreated hypothyroidism during pregnancy raises the risk of miscarriage, preterm labor, and hypertension. It also raises the risk of the baby having developmental problems. The sooner treatment for hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone replacement medication is started during pregnancy, the better. When treatment starts during the first trimester of pregnancy, the risks are greatly reduced. If hypothyroidism isn't detected until later in the pregnancy, starting treatment right away is very important and can also greatly reduce any risks to the mother and baby. If thyroid disease runs in your family, it is a good idea to have your thyroid levels checked early in your pregnancy, even if you don't think you have any symptoms.

A Friend's Experience with Pregnancy Induced Hypothyroidism. My best friend has had pregnancy induced hypothyroidism during both of her pregnancies. Hers is caused by the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. Shortly after she gets pregnant, she becomes hypothyroid and has to take thyroid hormone replacement medication throughout her pregnancy. Once her hormones balance out to prepregnancy levels after having the baby, her thyroid levels also go back to normal. She then has to stop taking the thyroid hormone replacement medication or she becomes hyperthyroid. She has no need for further treatment with thyroid hormone replacement medication until she gets pregnant again and the hormonal changes cause hypothyroidism once again.

Related Content:

Thyroid Disease Information - Hashimoto's, Graves, Signs, Symptoms, Tests, Treatments, and More

Sources:

PregnancyInfo.net - Thyroid Disease

American Thyroid Association - Thyroid Disease and Pregnancy

FamilyDoctor.org - Hypothyroidism

EndocrineWeb.com - Hypothyroidism