Does hypothyroidism during pregnancy affect the fetus?

In order for the fetus to develop normally, pregnant women must ensure their own health. If hypothyroidism is discovered during pregnancy, it will inevitably have a negative impact on the fetus. Actively communicate with your doctor and inform him of your condition in a timely manner. Never hide your condition. Go for every prenatal check-up in time. Do not ignore prenatal check-ups to save money or trouble. Only when problems are discovered can they be solved. So, does hypothyroidism during pregnancy have any impact on the fetus?

1. Cause fetal intellectual development disorder

Babies born to women with hypothyroidism are at increased risk of certain disorders, most commonly intellectual and developmental problems. Because the thyroid hormones needed for fetal brain development mainly come from the mother, hypothyroidism in pregnant women can affect the normal development of the fetal nervous system, leading to intellectual development disorders in the fetus, low intelligence level at birth, and even cretinism.

2. Increase the risk of birth defects in the fetus

Hypothyroidism may increase the risk of birth defects in the fetus, and new research finds that women with thyroid disease are more likely to give birth to offspring with heart, kidney or brain abnormalities. The study from the United States showed that the rate of birth defects in babies born to mothers with thyroid disease was about 18%. In the general population, this proportion is only about 3%, which is also a danger of hypothyroidism.

3. Miscarriage and premature birth

If female patients with hypothyroidism fail to receive early diagnosis and timely treatment during pregnancy, they may suffer from adverse production events such as miscarriage, premature birth, placental abruption (a very serious complication that threatens the lives of the mother and fetus), and perinatal fetal death.

How to minimize the impact of hypothyroidism on pregnant women

1. Get into the best condition before getting pregnant

Women with hypothyroidism who are preparing to become pregnant should avoid interrupting thyroid hormone treatment without authorization before or during pregnancy, so as to avoid the reappearance of symptoms that had disappeared after arbitrary discontinuation of the medication, causing irreversible damage to the organs. Instead, they should inform their doctor and adjust the medication as needed under the doctor's guidance so that their thyroid function reaches or is close to normal levels before pregnancy, adjust the body to a suitable state before preparing for pregnancy, and do follow-up and monitoring during the pregnancy.

2. Do a good job of prenatal check-up during pregnancy

It is advocated that thyroid hormone and autoantibody screening be performed on all women in early pregnancy, rather than just women planning pregnancy with a history of thyroid disease, a relevant family history, or corresponding symptoms.

3. If hypothyroidism is detected, treatment should be started immediately

For pregnant women with no history of hypothyroidism but newly diagnosed with clinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy, some pregnant women worry that drug treatment will affect the fetus and refuse treatment. This practice is unsafe for both mother and baby. Treatment should be received immediately under the guidance of a professional doctor to adjust the body to an optimal state suitable for continuing the pregnancy as quickly as possible.

The full name of hypothyroidism is hypothyroidism, which may have certain effects on the baby. These are mainly reflected in the mothers' drug treatment. In the future, when mothers use drugs for treatment, they must be able to clearly know whether it will harm the baby. They must explain all the situations to the doctor so that the baby can be cured without any harm.