How long does it take for hyperthyroidism during pregnancy to disappear?

After a woman becomes pregnant, her body's hormones will change with the months of pregnancy, and the pregnancy reactions are different for everyone. Many diseases may occur during pregnancy, such as hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Each disease is not a trivial matter and requires seeing a doctor in time to avoid irreparable harm to yourself and your baby. Don't be too nervous or panic if hyperthyroidism occurs during pregnancy. Just take the medicine given by the doctor regularly to control the condition.

How long does it take for hyperthyroidism during pregnancy to disappear?

Many people do not have any symptoms of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy, but if the patient experiences symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and severe weight loss in the early stages of pregnancy, you need to be alert because this is likely hyperthyroidism during pregnancy. At this time, it is best to check thyroid function to confirm whether you have hyperthyroidism.

Methods to relieve hyperthyroidism during pregnancy:

1. Pre-pregnancy and pregnancy consultation

It is recommended that women diagnosed with hyperthyroidism receive treatment first, and try to wait for recovery before getting pregnant. For pregnant women whose hyperthyroidism is stable, who are already pregnant and do not plan to have an abortion, it is recommended to use drugs that have no teratogenic risk and cross the placenta less, such as PTU. 131 iodine diagnosis and treatment are not suitable. If iodine-131 is used for treatment before pregnancy, pregnancy can only be achieved after six months of contraception. The pregnant woman is currently in a state of hypothyroidism and is undergoing thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Thyroid hormone has no effect on the baby and the medication cannot be stopped after pregnancy, as stopping the medication will cause miscarriage.

2. Fetal monitoring during pregnancy and prenatal care

Pregnant women with hyperthyroidism cannot provide enough nutrition to the fetus due to hypermetabolism, which affects the growth and development of the fetus, making it prone to fetal growth restriction (FGR) and low birth weight of newborns. Examination: Pay attention to the mother's weight, uterine height, and abdominal circumference growth. Perform fetal B-ultrasound examination every 1 to 2 months and estimate fetal weight. Strengthen nutrition, pay attention to rest, and lie on your left side. When FGR is discovered, hospitalize promptly. Pregnant women with hyperthyroidism who take ATD may develop fetal hypothyroidism: enlarged fetal thyroid gland, slow weight gain, slow fetal heart rate of 110-120 beats/minute, decreased fetal movement frequency, and less amniotic fluid. Fetuses with congenital hypothyroidism may have a poor prognosis. How to diagnose? Some people suggest that umbilical cord puncture can be performed to take umbilical cord blood for thyroid function test to confirm the diagnosis. However, there is not much experience on how to treat the fetus. Pregnant women with hyperthyroidism are prone to premature birth. If there are threats of premature birth, active efforts should be made to preserve the fetus. Beta-receptor stimulants should be avoided during treatment. Bed rest should be encouraged as much as possible. Magnesium sulfate, Turinal, procaine and other pregnancy-preserving drugs should be used.

Hyperthyroidism in pregnant women in late pregnancy is prone to complications of pregnancy-induced hypertension. Pay attention to early calcium supplementation, low-salt diet, and nutritional guidance. Prenatal check-up notes: weight change, edema, urine protein and increased blood pressure. The pregnant woman should be admitted to the hospital for observation during the 37th to 38th week of late pregnancy, with weekly fetal heart monitoring to pay attention to fetal distress. The pregnant woman should have an electrocardiogram to see if there is any heart damage, and an echocardiogram if necessary.

3. Labor and delivery

B-ultrasound observation of fetal thyroid size,

Is there an enlarged thyroid gland that causes the fetal head to overextend? If there are any abnormalities, it may cause dystocia and consider cesarean section. Regarding the choice of delivery method, except for obstetric factors, vaginal delivery is generally possible and most of them are successful. Pregnant women with hyperthyroidism generally have stronger uterine contractions, smaller fetuses, and relatively shorter labor. A high rate of neonatal asphyxia has been reported. During the labor process, energy should be supplemented, eating should be encouraged, appropriate fluids should be given, oxygen should be inhaled and fetal heart rate should be monitored throughout the process, blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature should be measured once every 2 to 4 hours, and attention should be paid to psychological care during the labor process. If the mother has heart failure, labor is not progressing smoothly, there are malpositions of the fetus, the fetal head is stretched upwards, or the fetal head cannot enter the pelvis, the indications for cesarean section may be relaxed. Antibiotics are given postpartum to prevent infection. A pediatrician should be present when the newborn is born, prepare for neonatal resuscitation, and collect umbilical cord blood for thyroid function testing.

4. Postpartum observation of newborns and mothers

After the newborn is born, pay special attention to whether there are signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

Neonatal hypothyroidism: large tongue, frog belly, mottled skin, no temperature rise, poor reflexes, low tension, little food intake, delayed defecation, no weight gain; some have immature lungs and hyaline membrane disease.

Neonatal hyperthyroidism (rare): occurs a few days after birth (5-10 days), with symptoms including: small head, enlarged thyroid gland, bulging or wide-open eyes, bright eyes, high skin temperature, and severe hyperthyroidism accompanied by high fever, accelerated heart rate and breathing, and other hyperthyroidism crisis symptoms. There are also symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as crying, large amount of milk intake, frequent bowel movements, and poor weight gain. Therefore, it is recommended to appropriately extend the hospitalization time of the newborn for observation. After discharge, ask the family members to come to the hospital for examination and follow-up in time if any abnormalities are found.

5. Postpartum breastfeeding

If the condition of pregnant women with Graves' disease worsens after delivery, they should continue to take medication, and most of them need to increase the dosage. PTU is better than MMI. If the mother takes PTU 200 mg tid, the newborn will get PTU 99g per day. Therefore, it is safe for the baby to be taken by the mother.

Why does hyperthyroidism occur during pregnancy?

Hyperthyroidism during pregnancy is caused by the fact that after a pregnant woman becomes pregnant, the placenta produces a hormone called chorionic gonadotropin. If the level of this hormone is extremely high, it can promote the synthesis of thyroid hormones. During pregnancy, women's hormones will undergo some significant changes, leading to high levels of thyroid hormone, which in turn causes hyperthyroidism.

What should I do if I have hyperthyroidism during pregnancy?

If you have hyperthyroidism during pregnancy, you should not be overly anxious or have too much psychological burden. Patients with hyperthyroidism can continue their pregnancy, but they need to take antithyroid drugs in a timely and appropriate manner for treatment. Any disease during pregnancy will have varying degrees of impact on the fetus, so patients need to use medication carefully under the guidance of an endocrinologist. Try to choose drugs that have little impact on fetal development. In addition, patients also need to relax and recuperate.