During pregnancy there is also the need to undergo numerous checks, for the well being of both the future mother and the fetus. Many women think that the thyroid should not be controlled during pregnancy. True or false? We asked Professor Andrea Lania, Professor of Endocrinology at Humanitas University and Head of the Operating Unit of Endocrinology at Humanitas.
“False. Keeping the thyroid under control during pregnancy is very important – explains the expert – especially considering that women are among the categories most at risk of developing thyroid diseases, and that pregnancy itself leads to significant changes in thyroid function. In particular, it is important to establish adequate supplementation of iodine in pregnant women, which is essential for proper gland function. The monitoring of thyroid function and the normalization of examinations are even more relevant in patients with a pre-existing altered thyroid function by hyper or hypofunction of the gland (hyper and hypothyroidism) already in therapy. Control of thyroid function during pregnancy is also indicated in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and in patients with family history of autoimmune thyroid disease.
