New Study - Pregnant Women May Benefit from Thyroid Disease Screening

According to a new study presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Rotterdam, nearly one in twenty women could develop problems with their thyroid within two years of giving birth. If pregnant women test positive for the enzyme thyroid peroxidase this may raise their risk of developing thyroid disease.

General population Studies

A couple of studies have been done on this topic and one study showed that most women who have positive results for the enzyme thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody will never develop thyroid disease. In another study performed by Charles University in Prague found that thirty-five percent of the women who have the TPO antibodies will develop abnormal thyroid hormone levels within two years of giving birth, which can lead to thyroid disease.

Pregnant Women Study

Dr Potlukova's team followed one hundred and eighty-nine out of eight hundred and twenty-two women who had shown some type of thyroid disorder in the first trimester of pregnancy. One hundred of these women tested positive for the enzyme thyroid peroxidase antibody, but otherwise showed no thyroid problems. However, on retesting about twenty-two months after delivery, thirty-five percent of the women showed abnormal thyroid hormone levels, which can be an indicator of thyroid disease.

Conclusion

Screening a woman for thyroid disease during pregnancy can be an indicator of future problems with the thyroid. Not every woman who tests positive will develop thyroid disease and those women who do will already know it is a possibility and be able to seek treatment early. Thyroid disease is treatable with prescription medication and not considered a life threatening condition.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503181016.htm