1. Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow Pictures
2. Slideshow of Early Pregnancy Symptoms
3. Early Pregnancy Symptoms Quiz

Medical Author:

Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C)

Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C)

Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C) is an Attending Physician with the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Associate Director of Clinical Research, Recruitment and Phenotyping with the Center for Androgen Related Disorders, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Introduction
• What is the thyroid gland?
• What happens with thyroid disease?
• How is hypothyroidism treated during pregnancy?
• What are the consequences of hypothyroidism during pregnancy?
• How early does the mother's thyroid hormone affect the unborn baby?
• What can be done to avoid the consequences of hypothyroidism in pregnancy?
• Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy At A Glance
• Patient Comments: Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy - Diagnosis
• Find a local Obstetrician-Gynecologist in your town
• Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy Index

• Hypothyroidism, wherein the thyroid gland produces an inadequate amount of thyroid hormone, is a common disorder particularly in women of childbearing age.
  
  
• Hypothyroidism of the mother during pregnancy may result in developmental delay in the child.
  
  
• Treatment of hypothyroidism requires thyroid hormone medication.
  
  
• There may be indications to start thyroid hormone therapy in women who are borderline in thyroid function and who are either pregnant or desiring pregnancy.
  
  
• The treatment goal of hypothyroidism in pregnancy is to maintain a thyroid hormone level within high normal range.
  
  
• Pregnant women who are on thyroid hormone should have blood testing frequently during pregnancy as requirements may change.

Reference: National Institutes of Health Press Release, August 18, 1999 "Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy Linked to Lower IQ for Child"