Should i take thyroxine when pregnant

Higher levels of thyroid hormone are needed during pregnancy and, in women with normal thyroid function, the thyroid gland increases the production of thyroid hormone to meet this increased need. In hypothyroid women, this often means that the dose of Levothyroxine needs to be increased during pregnancy. Many endocrinologists advise pregnant women to take a higher dose of Levothyroxine as soon as pregnancy is confirmed and to come in to have blood tests for TSH more often to ensure that the level remains normal.

This study was done to evaluate the effect of increasing Levothyroxine dose in preventing pregnancy loss in women with hypothyroidism. Clin Endocrinol Oxf. August 3, [Epub ahead of print]. Unfortunately, both propylthiouracil and methimazole have been associated with rare birth defects. The type and severity of birth defects may be worse with methimazole, but both medications should be avoided especially in early pregnancy unless required.

Nonetheless, there are times when such medications are necessary and can help reduce medical complications. Your thyroid physician can help make the best decision about the use of these medications. In general, when they're needed, your doctor will give you the least amount of drug necessary to achieve control of your thyroid hormones. The care of a pregnant woman with Graves' disease is complicated.

For one thing, the dose of the medicine needed diminishes as the pregnancy progresses. In fact, many but not all women are taken off all antithyroid drugs before delivery. In addition, both of these antithyroid drugs cross the placenta and can affect the developing baby. To complicate matters even further, the antibody that causes Graves' disease also rarely crosses the placenta and can affect the baby.

Even women who have been successfully treated for Graves' disease may still have this antibody and require special monitoring during pregnancy. After your baby arrives, your doctor will continue to monitor you to make sure your medication is adjusted correctly.

It's not uncommon for Graves' disease to flare up in the postpartum period. Your baby's doctor will also monitor your newborn for thyroid problems that may be present at birth. This is a rare occurrence, but your doctor has to watch out for it. Learn how thyroid problems can affect you if you're trying to get pregnant. Join now to personalize.

The guidelines make the following points about caring for moms-to-be who have hypothyroidism: Most women on levothyroxine need to increase their dose as soon as they find out that they're pregnant. Of course, this should be done with your doctor's help. The exact dose of medication needed will be based on your TSH thyroid-stimulating hormone level. The goal is a TSH of less than 2. Your TSH level is the best way to tell if you're getting enough thyroid hormone.

It's measured by a simple blood test. The thyroid makes hormones chemicals that play a big role in your health. For example, thyroid hormones can affect your heart rate how fast your heart beats and your metabolism how well and fast your body processes what you eat and drink. Sometimes the thyroid gland makes too much or too little of certain hormones. When this happens, you have a thyroid disorder. Some women have a thyroid disorder that begins before pregnancy also called a pre-existing condition.

Others may develop thyroid problems for the first time during pregnancy or soon after giving birth. With treatment, a thyroid condition may not cause any problems during pregnancy. But untreated thyroid conditions can cause problems for you and your baby during pregnancy and after birth. If you have a thyroid condition during pregnancy, treatment can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

If you have signs or symptoms of a thyroid condition, especially during pregnancy, tell your provider. Signs and symptoms of thyroid conditions may appear slowly over time. Your provider gives you a physical exam and a blood test to check for thyroid conditions. The blood test measures the levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid stimulating hormone also called TSH in your body. TSH is a hormone that tells your thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones. If you think you may have a thyroid condition, ask your provider about testing.

Untreated hypothyroidism during pregnancy is linked to problems for women and babies during pregnancy and after birth. In about 1 to 21 in women 1 to 21 percent , the thyroid becomes swollen in the first year after giving birth. This is an autoimmune condition called postpartum thyroiditis.

It can cause your thyroid to be overactive, underactive and even a combination of both. Many medicines used to treat thyroid conditions during pregnancy are safe for your baby.

Thyroid medicines can help keep the right level of thyroid hormones in your body. Your provider gives you blood tests during pregnancy to check your TSH and T4 levels to make sure your medicine is at the right amount also called dose.

T4 is a hormone made by your thyroid. Treating hyperthyroidism. If you have mild hyperthyroidism, you may not need treatment. This medicine causes your thyroid to make less thyroid hormone. Most providers treat pregnant women with an overactive thyroid with antithyroid medicines called propylthiouracil in the first trimester and methimazole in the second and third trimesters.

The timing of these medicines is important. Propylthiouracil after the first trimester can lead to liver problems. And methimazole in the first trimester may increase the risk of birth defects. Birth defects are health conditions that are present at birth. They change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. Birth defects can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops, or how the body works.

Providers sometimes use radioactive iodine to treat hyperthyroidism. Treating hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine is the most common medicine used to treat an underactive thyroid during pregnancy. If you had hypothyroidism before getting pregnant, you most likely need to increase the amount of medicine you take during pregnancy. Talk to your provider about taking levothyroxine or other medicine to treat hypothyroidism while breastfeeding.

See also: Prescription medicine during pregnancy. Get expert tips and resources from March of Dimes and CDC to increase your chance of having a healthy, fully-term pregnancy and baby. Sign up for our emails to receive great health information and join us in the fight for the health of moms and babies. March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start.

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