Thyroid and pregnancy

The thyroid gland and pregnancy require special attention. Since this internal organ is susceptible to various diseases. Let's consider the features of the thyroid gland during pregnancy, possible diseases and other thyroid pathologies.

The thyroid gland (glandula thyroidea) is an internal organ located in the front of the neck and looks like a bow or butterfly. The thyroid gland in an adult weighs no more than 20 grams, but despite this, it produces vital hormones that affect the metabolism, physical condition and even mental development. As for the hormones produced by the thyroid gland, these are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).

Iodine is a special microelement that is responsible for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland during pregnancy. It allows glandula thyroidea to synthesize the above-mentioned hormones in the required amount, and also promotes the metabolism of vitamins, proteins, fats and minerals. These hormones are very important for the full intrauterine development of the reproductive system, cardiovascular and nervous systems and the musculoskeletal system. Thyroid diseases in pregnant women occupy one of the first places among pathological processes in the endocrine system. All this suggests that during pregnancy it is extremely important to monitor the condition of the thyroid gland and regularly check the level of hormones produced by it.

The thyroid gland works much more intensively during pregnancy, so it requires special attention. Because of this, many women experience a slight increase in the size of the thyroid gland during pregnancy. By the way, a long time ago, an enlarged glandula thyroidea was considered the most accurate sign of pregnancy.

As for the future baby, its thyroid gland begins to form at 5-6 weeks of gestation, and at 12-13 weeks it already accumulates iodine and independently produces hormones necessary for the development of the growing organism. All this suggests that the task of a pregnant woman is to ensure the intake of iodine into the body, as this is important both for the future child and for herself. In the first months of pregnancy, the development of the embryo depends on the normal functioning of the maternal glandula thyroidea. And even after the thyroid gland in the embryo has formed, iodine entering the mother's body ensures its normal functioning.

During pregnancy, the daily dose of iodine for a woman is about 200 mcg. If a woman has a lack of iodine in the body, this can provoke pathologies in the development of the child and thyroid disease in the pregnant woman. Thyroid treatment during pregnancy is carried out by gentle methods, but in some diseases, the issue of termination of pregnancy is acute.

Thyroid gland when planning pregnancy

The thyroid gland is very important when planning a pregnancy. The success of conception and pregnancy depend on the condition of the glandula thyroidea and the hormones it produces. The physical development of the future baby and the level of intelligence depend on the quality of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland. That is why, during the period of pregnancy planning, the first task of a woman is to take tests to determine the hormonal level of the thyroid gland and do an ultrasound examination in order to determine whether this organ is functioning normally.

When planning a pregnancy, special attention is paid to the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone, which should not exceed 2.5 μIU/ml. If the tests show that the hormone level is higher than the specified normal value, then this is a reason to contact an endocrinologist. The doctor will prescribe therapeutic therapy to normalize the hormone level. Very often, diets with the use of products with a high iodine content are prescribed as treatment. After the results of the tests for glandula thyroidea hormones are normal, you can plan a pregnancy.

Thyroid Disease and Pregnancy

Thyroid diseases and pregnancy are interconnected. Diseases appear due to hormonal changes in the body and negative environmental influences. Let's look at the main thyroid diseases during pregnancy.

• Pathologies at birth – underdeveloped thyroid gland, absence of thyroid gland, abnormal location.
• Goiter (endemic, sporadic) – occurs due to a lack of iodine in the body or negative environmental influences. These diseases include Graves' disease.
• Thyroiditis is an inflammatory disease of the glandula thyroidea.
• Hypothyroidism is a disease that is accompanied by a decrease in thyroid function.
• Thyroid lesions and tumors.

If a woman is absolutely healthy, then during pregnancy thyroid diseases will not affect her. The only thing that awaits is an increase in the thyroid gland, but this is considered normal, so it should not cause concern. But, despite this, it is better to make sure once again that the glandula thyroidea is healthy and nothing threatens the pregnancy.

Enlarged thyroid gland during pregnancy

An enlarged thyroid gland during pregnancy is considered normal. The thyroid gland increases in size due to hormonal changes in the body and increased work. But do not forget that an increase in this organ can be associated with a number of diseases. This is relevant for women who had glandula thyroidea diseases before bearing a child. Let's look at the pathologies that occur during pregnancy and cause an enlarged thyroid gland.

• Hypothyroidism - occurs due to a disorder of the body's immune system and is considered a chronic disease. It is difficult to diagnose this disease during pregnancy. Since the symptoms of the disease largely coincide with the signs of pregnancy. Therefore, if you suspect this disease, you need to take a blood test and judge the level of hormones glandula thyroidea based on its results.
• Thyrotoxicosis is a disease that occurs due to increased activity of the thyroid gland and is accompanied by an increase in this organ. This disease is extremely rare in pregnant women. The main symptom of the disease is severe vomiting and enlargement of the eyeballs. For an accurate diagnosis of the disease, it is necessary to take tests for thyroid hormones. If a woman becomes pregnant and has already had this disease, there is a high risk for the child and the normal course of pregnancy.

An enlarged thyroid gland during pregnancy can change under the influence of hormones or due to a certain disease. That is why, during the period of pregnancy planning, a woman should undergo diagnostics of glandula thyroidea, and, if necessary, treatment.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ]

Enlarged thyroid gland during pregnancy

Enlargement of the thyroid gland during pregnancy is a completely normal process that occurs under the influence of hormones and increased thyroid function. But enlargement can also be caused by diseases. Let's consider the degrees of enlargement of the thyroid gland that a woman can expect during the period of bearing a child.

• The thyroid gland looks quite normal, slightly enlarged, but does not cause discomfort or painful symptoms.
• The contours of the neck are changed; when swallowing, the lobes of the thyroid gland are clearly visible.
• The enlarged thyroid gland is visible to the naked eye, the neck has become thicker, it hurts to swallow, and shortness of breath has appeared.
• The glandula thyroidea is greatly enlarged, the contours of the neck are changed and the lobes of the thyroid gland can be seen on its surface. It hurts to swallow, there is a feeling of irritation in the throat and coughing.
• In the last stage, the thyroid gland is so enlarged that it does not allow swallowing and breathing. Also, the voice may change or disappear.

Each of the above stages of thyroid enlargement during pregnancy should be examined by an endocrinologist for the presence of diseases.

Thyroid Cancer and Pregnancy

Thyroid cancer and pregnancy have increasingly sounded like a death sentence lately. But you shouldn't go to extremes, because with the right approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment, you can carry and give birth to a healthy baby. The danger of thyroid cancer during pregnancy is that in the early stages the disease is almost asymptomatic, and the symptoms that appear are similar to the symptoms of early pregnancy.

To diagnose thyroid cancer during pregnancy, ultrasound, blood tests to detect cancer cells, and aspiration biopsy are used to determine the presence of cysts or cancerous nodules in the glandula thyroidea. Please note that hormonal changes during pregnancy do not stimulate the development of cancer, and differentiated cancers do not have a negative impact on the course of the period of bearing a child.

Pregnancy after thyroid cancer

Pregnancy after thyroid cancer is possible only after successful treatment of the disease. Modern methods of treating endocrine cancers allow women to become pregnant even if glandula thyroidea is removed. Pregnancy can be planned only a year or two after cancer treatment and after completing a rehabilitation course. A successful pregnancy is guaranteed in the absence of relapses of the disease.

If the disease begins to recur in the first months of pregnancy, the woman should terminate the pregnancy. Exceptions are women who have undergone thyroidectomy. If the long-awaited pregnancy occurs after cancer, and the disease does not recur, the woman should still regularly undergo tests for cancer cells and conduct an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland.

Thyroid Cyst and Pregnancy

Thyroid cysts and pregnancy are interconnected, as the appearance of a cyst can be provoked by hormonal changes occurring in the female body. A thyroid cyst during pregnancy can also appear due to a lack of iodine. And this is not surprising, since during the period of bearing a child, the female body experiences a lack of vitamins, minerals and substances necessary for the normal functioning of the female body and the development of the child.

Another reason for the appearance of a cyst is trauma and inflammatory processes (thyroiditis). But sometimes even nervous experiences and overexertion can cause the appearance of a cyst. It is quite difficult to diagnose a thyroid cyst, since the cyst is small in size and develops almost asymptomatically. The cyst begins to manifest itself only when it increases in size and compresses neighboring organs. A woman may feel a sore throat, difficulty breathing and coughing, and sometimes difficulty swallowing. One of the complications accompanying a thyroid cyst during pregnancy is suppuration, which occurs due to weakened immunity.

[ 5 ], [ 6 ], [ 7 ], [ 8 ]

Goiter of the thyroid gland during pregnancy

Goiter of the thyroid gland during pregnancy is another common disease that many women experience. The main symptom of goiter glandula thyroidea is its enlargement and thickening of the neck. Goiter is a collective term that refers to thyroid diseases, the main symptom of which is its enlargement. During pregnancy, goiter can appear due to hormonal imbalances and diseases that affect the endocrine system.

There are several types of goiters that occur during pregnancy, let's look at them:

• Goiter with eufunction – is extremely rare during pregnancy. As a rule, this disease is diagnosed in the early stages of endemic goiter.
• Goiter with hypofunction - occurs due to iodine deficiency in the body and autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland.
• Goiter with hyperfunction – occurs with thyroid adenoma or Graves’ disease.

No thyroid gland and pregnancy

The absence of the thyroid gland and pregnancy are quite comparable concepts. If a woman has had her thyroid removed due to cancer or another disease, then she can plan a pregnancy no earlier than a year after completing a rehabilitation course and the absence of relapses of the disease. If all the above conditions are met, then pregnancy is possible provided that the level of thyroid hormones in the blood is regularly monitored. This will allow a timely response to their increase and other pathological processes.

Please note that an acute deficiency of thyroid hormones during its removal has a negative effect on bearing a child. That is why, during pregnancy, a woman should take hormonal drugs that will replenish the lack of hormones produced by glandula thyroidea.

[ 9 ], [ 10 ], [ 11 ], [ 12 ], [ 13 ]

Thyroid Nodules and Pregnancy

Thyroid nodules and pregnancy can be diagnosed during an ultrasound examination. As a rule, thyroid nodules appear before the child is born, but are diagnosed only when early signs of pregnancy appear (toxicosis, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, etc.). Thyroid nodules can be benign and malignant. Benign formations do not affect the course of pregnancy and the development of the child, and malignant ones require mandatory treatment.

But there is no need to worry, since the appearance of glandula thyroidea nodes is never a reason to terminate a pregnancy. The only thing that awaits a woman is regular monitoring of the nodes, taking tests and taking safe medications that will not allow the nodes to progress during pregnancy.

Thyroid adenoma and pregnancy

Thyroid adenoma and pregnancy are quite compatible. Adenoma is a benign tumor that appears in the tissues of the thyroid gland. The disease is accompanied by increased production of thyroid hormones. This blocks the normal functioning of glandula thyroidea. The main symptoms of the disease are: increased sweating, fatigue during physical exertion, sudden mood swings, nausea. As you can see, the symptoms coincide with the early signs of pregnancy. This is what complicates the diagnosis of adenoma.

Thyroid adenoma is not a fatal disease and does not affect the course of pregnancy. Very rarely, adenoma develops into a malignant tumor and metastasizes throughout the body. If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with adenoma, then the woman should be observed by an endocrinologist for all nine months.

Thyroid hyperplasia during pregnancy

Thyroid hyperplasia during pregnancy is accompanied by an enlargement of the thyroid gland. The disease occurs due to problems with hormones, which is very relevant for the period of pregnancy. The main symptoms of the disease: difficulty breathing, the appearance of a vascular network on the neck, problems swallowing food. If these symptoms are detected, you should contact an endocrinologist.

To diagnose hyperplasia in pregnant women, an ultrasound examination is performed, which helps to identify the disease. To treat this pathology during pregnancy, women are prescribed drugs with a high iodine content. As a preventive measure against the disease, it is recommended to take iodized salt with food.

Thyroid hypoplasia and pregnancy

Thyroid hypoplasia and pregnancy are rare, usually occurring in 2% of pregnant women. The disease is congenital and is an underdevelopment of the glandula thyroidea tissue. All this leads to a lack of hormones that suppress the nervous system and brain activity. Very often, the cause of this disease is a lack of iodine in the body.

I diagnose the disease using ultrasound and visual examination (the thyroid gland is slightly enlarged). As for treatment, during pregnancy, the woman is prescribed drugs with a high iodine content. This allows the pregnancy to develop normally and does not have a negative impact on the development of the child.

Hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland and pregnancy

Hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland and pregnancy are not uncommon in our time. The disease is provoked by a lack of iodine in the body. Therefore, during pregnancy, a woman should take a blood test for the level of hormones glandula thyroidea. If the tests show that a woman has reduced thyroid function, then hormone replacement therapy is used as a treatment. The main causes of the disease are associated with hormone levels and inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Treatment of hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland during pregnancy is extremely important, as the disease can cause termination of pregnancy for medical reasons, death of the fetus in the womb, or the birth of a child with serious pathologies. Women who suffered from hypothyroidism during pregnancy and did not treat it give birth to babies with visual impairments, brain and nervous system damage, or deaf-muteness.

Autoimmune thyroiditis and pregnancy

Autoimmune thyroiditis and pregnancy are interrelated, as the disease appears due to hormonal changes in the body. The disease occurs due to the inability of the immune system to recognize diseased and healthy cells. Because of this, the thyroid gland is affected by autoimmune action, which can negatively affect the period of pregnancy and the development of the baby.

The main symptoms of autoimmune thyroiditis are similar to the early signs of pregnancy. First of all, it is nausea, irritability, dizziness, and also an increase in the volume of glandula thyroidea, that is, the appearance of goiter. As a treatment, they use therapeutic therapy, which is based on taking drugs with a high iodine content to maintain hormones at a normal level.

[ 14 ], [ 15 ], [ 16 ]

Thyroid hormones during pregnancy

Thyroid hormones perform one of the most important functions during pregnancy – they promote normal development of the child’s brain. Reduced hormone levels lead to pathological processes during pregnancy and various lesions of the nervous system and brain activity of the child. Let’s consider the features of the functioning of the glandula thyroidea and the production of its hormones during pregnancy.

• During pregnancy, the thyroid gland works twice as hard and produces 50% more thyroid hormones.
• Normal hormone levels during pregnancy are no different from those of non-pregnant women.
• During pregnancy, the thyroid gland increases in size by 15% and there is a high risk of developing hypothyroidism.

The influence of the thyroid gland on pregnancy

The influence of the thyroid gland on pregnancy is based on the production of hormones and their influence on the course of pregnancy and the development of the child. The production of hormones is regulated by the central nervous system, the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. That is, if they are damaged, problems with the production of hormones by the glandula thyroidea and the occurrence of various diseases are possible.

To determine the disease, diagnostics are performed using ultrasound examination and a blood test for hormones is taken. Based on the diagnostic results, the endocrinologist and gynecologist make decisions regarding treatment (in case of hormonal level disorders) or prevention of the thyroid gland and its impact on pregnancy.

Thyroid ultrasound during pregnancy

Thyroid ultrasound during pregnancy is a mandatory procedure for every woman. With the help of ultrasound examination, it is possible to find out about the presence of certain diseases that will negatively affect both the health of the mother during pregnancy and the development of the child. Ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic method, since during the examination, the pregnant woman is not subjected to surgery or any other impact. With the help of ultrasound, a photograph is obtained that displays the structure of the thyroid gland, which means that tumors and other painful processes are visible.

The procedure does not require any special preparation. The only thing that is necessary for a normal ultrasound examination is full access to the neck. That is why a woman should wear clothes that do not cover the neck and preferably without jewelry. Thyroid ultrasound during pregnancy is performed in the first trimester and when certain symptoms appear.

Thyroid removal during pregnancy

Thyroid removal during pregnancy is not performed, as the procedure can negatively affect the pregnancy. If a woman is diagnosed with a disease that requires immediate removal of the thyroid gland for medical reasons, the pregnancy is subject to termination. Since due to sharp hormonal surges, the normal course of pregnancy and the development of the child are at risk.

That is why, during pregnancy, all diseases of the glandula thyroidea are treated by taking the safest medications for the expectant mother and her child. If a woman becomes pregnant immediately after thyroid removal, then most likely she will have a miscarriage due to hormonal therapy, which must be completed as the final stage of treatment.

Pregnancy after thyroid removal

Pregnancy after thyroid removal is possible, but not earlier than two years after the operation. This period will allow for a full rehabilitation course and restore the woman's hormonal background. After thyroid removal, a woman will have to adhere to hormone replacement therapy for the rest of her life, even during pregnancy. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, a woman should consult a gynecologist-endocrinologist who will monitor her throughout the entire period of bearing a child.

Pregnancy after thyroid removal usually proceeds without complications, provided that the woman fully adheres to the doctor's recommendations to maintain normal hormonal levels. The hormones of the glandula thyroidea are extremely important for the normal development of the child, so the expectant mother should be prepared for an extremely difficult period of pregnancy.

Thyroid treatment during pregnancy

Treatment of the thyroid gland during pregnancy involves the use of conservative methods. Therapy is aimed at eliminating painful symptoms and alleviating the pathological condition. During pregnancy, as a treatment, a woman will receive hormonal therapy and medications with a high iodine content, which will allow the future child to develop normally.

Treatment of the thyroid gland during pregnancy depends on the severity of the disease and its impact on the process of bearing a child. If a woman is diagnosed with a benign tumor, then I use iodine therapy as a treatment. As for cancers detected during pregnancy, hormonal changes and pregnancy itself do not affect the development of the disease. In any case, the treatment and control of the disease is carried out by a gynecologist-endocrinologist, who prescribes thyroid treatment for the woman.

The thyroid gland and pregnancy are interconnected. Thus, with normal functioning of the glandula thyroidea, pregnancy proceeds without complications. However, if a woman has failures and disturbances in the functioning of this organ, then medical assistance is required, as this can negatively affect the development of the child.