Thyroid disorders during pregnancy

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Thyroid disorders may be present before women become pregnant, or they may develop during pregnancy. Being pregnant does not change the symptoms of thyroid disorders. How the fetus is affected depends on which thyroid disorder is present and which drugs are used for treatment. But generally, the following are risks:

With an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) if untreated: Slow or less-than-expected growth in the fetus and stillbirth
With an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) if untreated: Impaired intellectual development in children and miscarriage

The most common causes of hypothyroidism in pregnant women are

Hashimoto thyroiditis
Treatment of Graves disease

If women have or have had a thyroid disorder, they and the baby are closely monitored during and after pregnancy. Doctors regularly check them for changes in symptoms and do blood tests to measure thyroid hormone levels.