What course does pregnancy have on a women with already diagnosed thyroid disease prior to becoming pregnant?
Pregnancy has a beneficial effect on women with preexisting thyroid disease. Due to the suppression of the immune system, the antibodies found in Hashimoto’s disease decline but, immediately postpartum, there can be a resurgence with marked worsening of the condition. There can be a noticeable reduction in goiter size during the pregnancy. What is the importance of fetal and neonatal hypothyroidism? Congenital hypothyroidism occurs in one in 4,000 births. There can be multiple etiologies from genetic, immunologic, environmental, and drug induced causes. It is critically important not to miss this diagnosis in the infant since developmental retardation can occur if the condition goes untreated. Often infants appear normal at birth but deteriorate over several months. Infants can have severe retardation, deafness and muteness. This is the most common cause of mental retardation worldwide. If delay in treatment of congenital hypothyroidism is beyond 3 months, the chance of normal developm
