On getting pregnant and Thyroid
March 4, 2008 - 9:26am
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I have a Hypothyroid issue and am planning to try to get pregnant with in a few months. This will be the first child for my husband and I. I am 28 years old and have because of Synthroid gotten my Thyroid from a 4.62 to a range of 1.5-2.0. I am currently on 88 micrograms.
I was told by a doctor once that I should make sure my Thyroid is between 0-1 when trying to get pregnant or else I would have a hard time with it.
Is this true? Is that a dangerous range or a safe range? Is there anything else I should know about my Thyroid problem and getting pregnant?
I want to put the least stress possible on my body and my life while we try...I just want it to be a loving and fun process with little worry.
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Thanks for your post. You may want to get a second opinion from another doctor to determine what specifically will affect you. You can find a list of thyroid specialists at the American Thyroid Foundation.
http://www.thyroid.org/patients/specialists.php
If you haven't already, you may also want to contact The Thyroid Foundation of America. Their address is One Longfellow Place, Suite 1518, Boston, MA 02114. Their phone number is 1-800-832-8321.
Please let us know what you find out.
Sarah DG,
I agree with Tina T, and hope you were able to get a second opinion--we're interested to hear what your doctor said!
I found a few other pieces of information, both from a credible site (Mayo Clinic) and from the drug laboratory website (makers of Synthroid), regarding the safety of taking levothryroxine during pregnancy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the majority of risk with hypothyroidism during pregnancy is if the hypothyroidism is left untreated (which your's is not). Your TSH level can change during pregnancy, and it is recommended that you get this re-checked every 3 months (or more often if recommended by your doctor) during pregnancy. The target range for TSH level (so that it's not too high or too low) is 0.3 to 3.0 mIU/L. Your doctor said it should be 0 to 1, and I would also get a second opinion from another doctor on this---go with what your doctor says, as the Mayo Clinic website's target range is not based on your personal health history, and is used as a guide.
According to synthroid.com (makers of levothryoxine): thyroid medicine is safe during pregnancy (and I haven't seen any other credible sites that refute this). The main risk when having hypothyroidism and being pregnant are your TSH levels being too high or too low (meaning your hypothyroidism is not appropriately being treated).
I appreciate the help here and when we're ready to start trying (which is probably a little further out than when I had asked the question), I will get second and third opinions for sure! The info you have provided is great and I will save it! Thanks so much!
i am uncertain, as are my doctors right now the effects synthroid has...let me explain. I have just found out i am pregnant. my last period was july 24. I went for my annual physical and my doctor tested my thyroid and i was hypothyroid. on 8-15 i started synthroid. I havent been on birth control in 5 years. since my last child was born. long story short- i should be 8 weeks pregnant if you go by my last period. however, ultrasound and hcg level test shows i am only 4 weeks. the only thing we can contribute is that the synthroid helped my hormones so much i ovulated 2 times in one month, otherwise i would be 8 weeks and not 4...i didnt have any type, short or long period in august. my normal cycle would have put me at an august period of 8-28...i didnt start therefore on 9-22 i took a pregnancy test...expecting to be 8 weeks, ultrasound only showed barely 4 weeks. cant explain it, but the only difference in 5 years is my synthroid.
Anon,
First of all, congratulations on your pregnancy!! That's wonderful news. And it's really interesting about the synthroid. I'm sure it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, finding out you were pregnant, thinking it was 8 weeks, finding it is 4 weeks, and wondering when the baby will actually come! They do have their own timetables, don't they? Take care of the two of you, and write back and let us know how things are going!