Thyroid function and pregnancy
According to Dr Mark Hyman, women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.
Hyperthyroidism is one such thyroid problem, and it regularly goes untested. This condition causes the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone, speeding up the body’s vital functions. Symptoms include:
* irritability * unexplained weight loss * sleep disturbances * heart palpitations * high blood pressure * vision problems, and * muscle weakness.
The opposite of hyperthyroid is hypothyroid, or low, function. This is particularly relevant during pregnancy –
“In essence, pregnancy is a stress test for the thyroid, resulting in hypothyroidism in women with limited thyroidal reserve or iodine deficiency, and postpartum thyroiditis in women with underlying Hashimoto’s disease who were euthyroid prior to conception.”1
However, it is not only women’s thyroids that should be checked prior to and during pregnancy. It is also important that men get their thyroid checked, especially if there are any possible fertility concerns. Both hyper and hypo-thyroid can impact sperm count, sperm quality & motility, sexual and erectile function.
Traditional medicine regularly overlooks and undertests the thyroid gland. Because thyroid function is so critical to one’s overall health, particular pre-conception or early pregnancy, it is highly recommended that you request the following blood tests when visiting your GP:
– Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) – Free T3 – Free T4 – Reverse T3 – Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb) and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO).
Alternately, your Naturopath can prescribe these tests, either with a local pathology lab or via functional medicine labs.
1. Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the Diagnosis and Management of Thyroid Disease during Pregnancy and Postpartum. Stagnaro-Stagnaro-Green et al 2011
