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It is almost impossible not to relate the word pregnancy to the word hormone. And as much as these two things may have dignified different in the most different ways, there are some relationships that we often do not think of, such as the thyroid relationship in pregnancy. After all, is it possible for thyroid problems to occur during pregnancy? And how to treat this problem and not let it affect the baby? If you are curious to know about it, read the text to the end and find out. But first, it is necessary to explain exactly what the thyroid is.
What is Thyroid?
The thyroid is a gland that helps regulate several very important organs in our body, such as the heart, liver, kidneys and even the brain. This gland has the responsibility to act in the development of children and adolescents, including influencing a woman’s menstrual cycles. By releasing the hormones T3 and T4 to all these parts of the body in the right amounts, the thyroid causes the body to function properly.
When there are problems with the thyroid, it can affect a person in a number of ways, including with regard to fertility. And although this is easily diagnosable and occurs at any stage in a person’s life, these problems need to be addressed so that there are no negative consequences, especially when we talk about thyroid in pregnancy.
Thyroid problems
The most common thyroid disorders occur when the gland releases the wrong amounts of hormones into the body , either less than expected or more. However, many diseases can also arise from problems in this organ, such as:
- Goiter
- Subacute thyroid
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma
- Thyroid cancer
- Chronic thyroiditis
Although these are some of the diseases that can arise with the thyroid, the most common are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, which are, respectively, release in smaller amounts of hormones by the gland or in larger amounts. Because they are the most common diseases, it is about their relationship in pregnancy that we are going to deal with in today’s text.
Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid does not produce enough hormones for the body’s needs. Some of the most common symptoms of this disease are:
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Loss of hair
- Tendency to depression
When a woman has hypothyroidism in pregnancy, not only is she at various risks, but the baby as well. Primarily because this disease can cause arterial disorders, such as heart failure, which can end up affecting the baby’s development and leading to serious problems.
It is estimated that up to 6% of pregnant women develop hypothyroidism in pregnancy , so it is very important to have your exams up to date when planning to become pregnant and, if there is any problem of this type, treat it before becoming pregnant. This way you ensure that both your health and that of your baby will be intact during pregnancy.
Hyperthyroidism in Pregnancy
Another problem that can also arise is that of high thyroid in pregnancy, what we call hyperthyroidism. Contrary to the condition we mentioned earlier, in this case hormones are produced in excess and some of the symptoms that this disease causes are:
- Increased appetite
- Sudden weight loss
- Excessive sweat
- Anxiety and nervousness
It is well known that pregnancy is a real storm of hormones in a woman’s body. And exactly for that reason, when the thyroid gland has this type of dysfunction, major problems can occur. The main problems that this disease brings to a pregnant woman are:
- Risk of miscarriage
- Pre eclampsia
- Cardiac insufficiency
- Premature detachment of the placenta
In addition to causing several problems for the woman, which may also reflect later, when breastfeeding, hyperthyroidism in pregnancy also represents a danger to the baby, since he may suffer from several complications, such as:
- Malformations
- Goiter
- Premature birth
How to treat thyroid problems during pregnancy?
Although these are problems that can have serious consequences, they can be easily diagnosed and, if properly treated, present little danger to a pregnant woman. It is also worth mentioning that the sooner these problems are identified, the greater the chances of no bad consequences occurring.
If a woman already has a history of a problem with the thyroid , it is always important to have tests before becoming pregnant and, even afterwards, to be aware that these problems can occur due to the manifestation of different types of hormones in her body during this period.
When it is not possible to prevent these diseases from occurring, a doctor will prescribe the remedies in the quantities necessary for each case and, if done correctly, no side effects occur with the mother or the baby.
Thyroid problems in pregnancy are not uncommon, however, they need to be treated correctly so that there are no more serious consequences. And for that, it is very important to consult your doctor regularly and follow the recommendations given by him. It is only in this way that you can be sure that the problems between thyroid and pregnancy are being solved and be more relaxed to focus on other more important issues in this very special phase of your life.
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
