Thyroid and pregnancy

Abstract

Thyroid diseases are common in women of childbearing age. Different factors of maternal thyroid function occur during pregnancy; therefore, guidelines recommend trimester-specific pregnancy reference range for thyroid-stimulating hormone. Manifestly, thyroid dysfunctions have deleterious obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. Therefore, an adequate treatment is important to prevent adverse pregnancy complications. Furthermore, iodine deficiency during pregnancy could originate maternal and fetal problems. Consequently, scientific organizations recommend prenatal iodine supplementation for all pregnant women. However, treatment of thyroid autoimmunity is intriguing, but adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed. The aim of this article was to summarize the reported results of the literature related to the management of thyroid disease during pregnancy in order to help endocrinologists in decision-making processes.