Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy

Twenty-seven million Americans are affected with thyroid disease, yet over half of this population remains undiagnosed. Thyroid disease often manifests itself during the reproductive period of a woman's life and is the second most common endocrinopathy that affects women of childbearing age. The physiologic changes of pregnancy can mimic thyroid disease or cause a true remission or exacerbation of underlying disease. In addition, thyroid hormones are key players in fetal brain development. Maternal, fetal and neonatal thyroid are discussed here. Moreover, this article serves as a review of the more common thyroid diseases that are encountered during pregnancy and the postnatal period, their treatments, and their potential effects on pregnancy.