The diagnosis and manadgement of Hyperthyroidism in Pregnancy

Abstract

Hyperthyroidism occuring during pregnancy is not rare; its prevalence is about 0.2 percent. Thyrotoxicosis results in a significant increase in the prevalence of impaired fertility , abortion , low birth weight and increase in neonatal mortality.

Graves’ disease is the major cause of thyrotoxicosis in pregnancy which tend to have remission during pregnancy and exacerbation during the postpartum period because of immunologic changes that occur during pregnancy.

The classic clinical featuresof hyperthyroidism may occur in euthyroid pregnant woman. Because of this, hyperthyroidism is more difficult to diagnose clinically in a pregnant woman. Problems in making the clinical diagnosis are composed of changing in thyroid function tests during pregnancy which make the laboratory diagnosis difficult. Even after the diagnosis is made, the decision about therapy must also take the presence of the fetus into account.