Hidden Thyroid Issues in Pregnancy Could Mean Thyroid Trouble Later
By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Aug 6, 2024 -- Women who develop subclinical thyroid issues during pregnancy, meaning symptoms haven't surfaced, could face real thyroid trouble within five years, a new study finds.
Pregnant women who were diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism, pointing to an under-active gland, before 21 weeks of gestation had four times the odds of developing symptomatic hypothyroidism later, a team at University of Utah Health discovered.
These women also had a fourfold greater odds of requiring thyroid replacement therapy within five years of delivering a child, the team reported recently in the journal Thyroid.
The researchers noted that subclinical hypothyroidism has long been known to be common during pregnancy, with as many as 1 in every 4 pregnant women thought to be affected.
Subclinical hypothyroidism isn't by itself harmful, but symptomatic "overt" hypothyroidism can be linked to fatigue, depression and even heart problems, said a team led by Dr. Michael Varner, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the university's school of medicine.
Their study included 307 pregnant women who'd been diagnosed with either subclinical hypothyroidism or hypothyroxinemia, a condition where too low a level of the thyroid hormone thyroxine is found in the blood.
These conditions were detected between eight and 20 weeks gestation and, "at 1 and 5 years after delivery, participants were asked whether they had either been diagnosed with or were being treated for a thyroid condition."
In contrast to the links between hypothyroidism and later thyroid issues, women who had hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy did not have any higher long-term risk for hypothyroidism, the researchers said.
According to Varner, the trials that his team drew on for this study also showed "showed no difference in five-year neurodevelopmental outcomes in children from prenatal treatment of either subclinical hypothyroidism or hypothyroxinemia."
However, when it came to mom's health, "our data lend further evidence to the postpartum time period as a time when autoimmune diseases, in this case, hypothyroidism, are more likely to be present," Varner said in a university news release.
Sources
- University of Utah Health, news release, Aug. 2, 2024
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Read this next
Number Of Family Caregivers Has Skyrocketed in The U.S.
FRIDAY, July 25, 2025 — The number of Americans caring for an older or disabled family member has risen dramatically during the past 10 years, according to a new AARP policy...
Vitamin D Might Offer Protection Against COVID-19
FRIDAY, July 25, 2025 — Low vitamin D levels might increase a person’s odds of a severe bout with COVID-19, a new study says. People with a vitamin D deficiency are...
For the Win: College Student Powerlifts Past Breast Cancer
FRIDAY, July 25, 2025 — LaShae Rolle, 27, is a competitive powerlifter capable of squatting 441 pounds, benching 292 pounds and deadlifting 497 pounds. Last year, breast...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.