The thyroid in pregnancy

For further information: Thyroid, what it is and how it works

During the first period of pregnancy, the fetus has not yet developed a thyroid gland capable of functioning autonomously, so the thyroid hormones it needs come exclusively from the mother. A malfunction of the thyroid of the latter can cause problems even of serious entity to the child, even going so far as to jeopardize brain development. The need to carry out a screening before pregnancy to ascertain the correct thyroid function is therefore fundamental, above all because there is the possibility of the existence of any undiagnosed abnormalities (for example "hypothyroidism) that have never caused obvious symptoms in the mother, but which, however, are able to affect the health of the fetus, due to an insufficient production of thyroid hormones.

See also

Hashimoto's Thyroid: Symptoms, Consequences, and Treatment of This Disorder

Periodontitis in pregnancy: symptoms and effective remedies to cure it!

Rhinitis in pregnancy: what it is and how it is treated

In addition, the changes that occur with pregnancy lead the female body to an increase in hormonal needs, and this makes it even more important to promptly identify the presence of a disease. For example, one of the most common causes of hypothyroidism - Hashimoto's thyroiditis - is easily diagnosed by checking the levels of anti-TPO antibodies in the blood.

But what to do if a problem emerges from the diagnostic process? Without a doubt, we must not be dramatized, because a hormone replacement therapy based on levothyroxine is able to maintain the correct levels of thyroid hormones in the blood and to guarantee a perfectly normal life for the mother and the child. For maximum therapeutic efficacy, the drug must naturally be dosed precisely and the innovative oral solution formulations are a great help in this regard, as pointed out by Prof. Mario Rotondi, Endocrinologist at the University of Pavia.

Problems of malabsorption, for example due to dietary variations or to pregnancy sickness, potentially capable of compromising therapeutic adherence, can in fact be resolved thanks to the rapid and more effective absorption guaranteed by the liquid formulation.

Regardless of any anomalies, during gestation it is still decisive to guarantee the thyroid an adequate amount of iodine, a substance essential for the proper functioning of the gland: in this period the woman's daily requirement doubles, reaching 250 micrograms, and making it necessary to resort to supplementation with adequate amounts of iodized salt or specific supplements.

Prof. Francesco Vermiglio, Endocrinologist at the University of Messina, reports in this regard the surprising results of a study recently published in the prestigious journal The Lancet: according to the researchers, the IQ of children would be higher the higher the iodine intake during pregnancy.

in collaboration with Il Portale della Salute