In the human body, the thyroid gland secretes hormones to regulate metabolism; If for some reason these secretions are excessive, the body’s metabolism will be disrupted, but if hyperthyroidism occurs during pregnancy, more problems will arise, which we will discuss in this article.
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types of Overactive thyroid in pregnancy
During pregnancy, this complication appears for various reasons, each of which will have its own symptoms and symptoms for the mother and the fetus; Some of these reasons occurred before this period and others are due to pregnancy, each of which we will get to know below:
– Normal hyperthyroidism in pregnancy:
You should know that thyroid activity will naturally change during this time. The fetus needs these hormones for the growth of the brain, bones, etc.
and as a result, this gland produces more hormones in pregnant mothers and they need more iodine, care must be taken at this time for enough iodine to reach the mother’s body, the lack of this substance causes the hormones to grow abnormally and lead to goiter, which can be dangerous.
– Nodular goiter (nodule):
It is a type of overactive thyroid disease in which nodules grow in the gland that can be touched and seen; These nodes, which are called nodules, produce more hormones along with the thyroid, causing it to become overloaded. If the mother suffers from this disease before pregnancy, it must be treated so as not to face the risks and complications it causes during this period.
– Graves:
This disease is one of the most common causes of hyperthyroidism, in which the body’s immune system is overactive and as a result, will cause excessive production and release of thyroid hormones; Of course, most women find out and treat it before pregnancy by undergoing various tests or watching for any complications.
– Temporary hyperthyroidism in pregnancy:
Sometimes pregnant women experience severe nausea and vomiting or are carrying twins, in which case they may be exposed to an overactive thyroid, which is called temporary thyrotoxicosis of pregnancy. This condition will go away after your period is over and in the second half of pregnancy and does not need treatment.
The fetal placenta secretes a hormone called HCG which affects the thyroid gland and this is the common reason for its increased functionality during this period, which occurs in the first trimester and will disappear after this.
– Overactive Thyroid After Childbirth:
After the birth of the baby, the mother may suffer from this condition for about a year, which sometimes has symptoms such as tiredness, muscle pain, etc.;
This condition is usually not alarming and will resolve after a few weeks or sometimes a few months. In some cases, there are no symptoms of this condition, but most of the time, hyperthyroidism in pregnancy has the following symptoms:
- Fatigue and insomnia
- Anxiety and irritability
- Underweight despite high food intake
- Feeling hot and sweating profusely
- Muscle weakness in the thighs, legs, and arms
- Heartbeat and trembling hands
The diagnosis of the disease during pregnancy is performed by studying symptoms, blood tests, and sometimes complementary tests.
Complications of the overactive thyroid in pregnancy:
As mentioned above, the increase in thyroid hormones or hyperthyroidism increases metabolism and this can be very dangerous during pregnancy and in acute cases, as you will learn about these symptoms below :
- Abortion
- Premature birth
- Death of the fetus in utero
- The birth of a low-birth-weight baby
- Maternal heart failure
- Intoxication and pregnancy blood pressure
- Birth of a premature baby
- Thyroid disease in infants
- Death of the mother during childbirth
Treatment of overactive thyroid in Pregnancy
If the mother is suffering from this disease before pregnancy, she must consult a specialist to identify and treat it. Usually, the method of treating overactive thyroid during pregnancy depends on the type of this condition and is done with the opinion of an endocrinologist, it is better for the mother to be under observation and counseling during this period.
Hashimoto’s thyroid in pregnancy
Before getting pregnant, the woman must have a thyroid test, as the presence of a disorder in this gland can cause irreparable complications for the mother and the fetus.
Hashimoto’s thyroid in pregnancy is one of the most common diseases that can cause deformation of the fetus and harm the mother. Stay with us in this article to be aware of the dangers of this complication. (Click on the appropriate page to see endocrinologists)
There is an endocrine gland in the body called the thyroid, whose task is to produce, store, and secrete sensitive hormones for the body; These substances control the entire metabolic process in the body, and in addition, body temperature, the blood supply to the heart, respiratory system, skin, etc., are regulated by these hormones. Therefore, if for some reason this gland does not work enough, almost the entire system of the body will collapse.
Hypothyroidism has several causes, the most common of which is an autoimmune disease in the body called Hashimoto’s syndrome; In this disease, instead of attacking foreign viruses, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks internal organs, one of which is the thyroid gland. When this happens, the body’s vital glands cannot produce enough hormones and the human metabolism faces a problem.
So far you have understood the important use of this part of the body, so you must know that the fetus has a strong need for its hormones, especially in the first three months of pregnancy; In fact, the formation of different parts of the child’s brain depends on them, furthermore, his physical and bone growth also depends on these substances, and if the mother suffers from Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism in this period, her child can suffer many damages which are mostly irreparable.
Women sometimes suffer from this disorder in a mild form up to a year after pregnancy, which disappears after this period, but in one-fifth of these cases, Hashimoto syndrome remains stable and becomes more severe and needs treatment. In fact, they haven’t yet found the exact reason why this disease occurs, but researchers have highlighted the factors that cause it,
and we’ll look at the most common ones below:
- The first reason pregnant mothers have Hashimoto’s disease is their gender; Research has shown that there are seven times more women with the condition than men. This fact proves that sex hormones are the most important cause of Hashimoto’s during pregnancy and other times.
- As mentioned, the ultimate cause of Hashimoto’s disease has not yet been discovered, but according to most researchers, the most important reason is genetic factors and heredity; An examination of the family history of those suffering from this disease shows that the mother, father, grandfather, and grandmother or any first-degree relatives have suffered from this disease; Therefore, the most important cause of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism in pregnancy may be hereditary.
- Perhaps the mothers used radiation therapy to treat other ailments before pregnancy; Studies have shown that this radiation can cause Hashimoto’s disease in many cases.
This condition usually has symptoms that appear during pregnancy, but due to the sensitivity of this period, they can be a little different and more annoying;
the most important are:
swelling of the face, dry skin, hoarseness of the mother’s voice, muscle contraction, constipation, excessive and unexplained tiredness of the mother, depression of the mother, weight gain, weakening of the heartbeat, and increased cholesterol levels. , coldness of the mother, and sudden weight gain. , goiter and…
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You may not know that this disease is initially hidden and can even go years without being diagnosed, so it is necessary for women to undergo a thyroid test before becoming pregnant. We will look into the risks of Hashimoto during pregnancy.
If this type of hypothyroidism remains hidden in the mother or does not resolve itself for any reason, a child may be born with a disorder of this gland. In this case, the child is most likely to have Hashimoto as his mother.
Underactive thyroid and especially its most common condition, Hashimoto’s disease, if not treated during pregnancy and becomes severe, vital hormones will not reach the fetus and may even kill it in the womb.
Hashimoto’s causes the thyroid hormones to not reach the baby for brain and physical development, so one of its dangerous consequences is the birth of a baby with mental retardation; The child may even be very short or have physical defects such as cleft palate.
