The outcome of pregnancy among graves’ women treated with PTU

Abstract

Uncontrolled Graves’ disease in pregnant women might result in abnormalities of the development and growth of the fetus. Once becoming euthyroid on antithyroid drug, the pregnancy might ensue toward term and normal delivery. Overtreatment however, might cause problems to the baby such as hypothyroidism and goitre, resulting in difficulties at the delivery and growth problems Idter in their life. Evaluation on the outcome of pregnancy and the delivered babies among pregnant Graves’ women was conducted. All the pregnant Graves’ mother attended our Thyroid Clinic were treated with PTU. the dose were tailored according to the levels ofT4/FT4 and TSH of the pregnant mother. Laboratory evaluation was done every month from the start of pregnancy up to the time of delivery, during which the fetus TSH from the umbilical cord blood and the mother’s serum TRab were also measured. There were altogether 12 pregnant Graves’ women completed their pregnancy during the year 1997. Some pregnancy ended with low SC due to gynecologic indication. All the babies born in this series were normal, without apparent congenital anomalies. The mean birthweight, heart’rate, TSH and TRab levels were 3053 ± 279 grams, 14.5 ± 8.4 beat/minute, 6.4 ±6.7 ug/L respectively. The mean serum TRab of the mother were 18.7%. The average total dose of PTU during pregnancy was 200-300 tablets of 50 mg. There was significant correlation between the amount of PTU tablets consumed during the pregnancy and the levels of the umbilical cord blood THS level, but there was no correlation between the TRab and TSH levels of the born babies. It was concluded that the use of PTU among pregnant Graves’ women, in conjunction with meticulous monitoring of pregnancy and thyroid function resulted in safe outcome of pregnancy.