Under Active Thyroid Associated with Miscarriages and Infertility
Proper levels of thyroid hormones are required very early in a pregnancy to ensure that the fetus develops properly. If a woman’s thyroid is not secreting sufficient levels of hormones, she may not be aware of the problem, but miscarriages within the first weeks of pregnancy can occur before a woman realizes that she is pregnant.
A primary cause of hypothyroidism is the presence of so-called “auto-antibodies” that mistakenly attack the thyroid gland causing it to under produce its hormones, or in some cases, stimulate particular thyroid tissues to over secrete hormones.
Researchers do not understand why auto-antibodies develop, but an estimated five to eight percent of women carry auto-antibodies to the thyroid and are frequently not diagnosed with the problem until they try to become pregnant. Reproductive specialists are currently debating whether screening all pregnant women for hypothyroidism may be cost effective. A consensus will not be reached until ongoing studies are completed.
A recent ATA statement calls for “a plan for action (to) research the impact of maternal thyroid status on pregnancy and fetal and childhood development” in order to determine the value of widespread testing of thyroid function.
