Basic facts that every woman of child-bearing age should know
 If you asked me what ‘hyperthyroidism’ was a week ago, my guess would have been ‘an overactive thyroid gland’, and I would have been right. But there’s a big difference between what I know now as compared to then. For example, last week, I didn’t know how dangerous the disorder could be.
According to Dr. Sheldon Rubenfeld, a practicing thyroidologist and Founding Chairman of the Thyroid Society for Education and Research, thyroid dysfunction can disrupt the balance of reproductive hormones. This, in turn, can affect a woman’s fertility and her ability to become pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy. It may even have adverse affects on postpartum health, successful breastfeeding and even the baby’s health.
The problem with hyperthyroidism seems to be that it often goes undiagnosed, and therefore untreated. Some women who have fertility problems may actually have underlying thyroid problems, which they and their doctors are unaware of. To check for hyperthyroidism, all you need is a blood test to check your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels. As a guideline, any woman who’s planning to get pregnant should consider getting tested.
But, if you’ve been having difficulty getting pregnant, or have suffered recurrent miscarriages, do urge your doctor to run the test. If the test results indicate a high level of TSH, this may mean you have an underactive thyroid gland. In contrast, a low TSH result may indicate an overactive thyroid gland. Any abnormality detected in the TSH test will usually be followed up by further testing to investigate the cause, and a recommended course of treatment.
Fortunately, hyperthyroidism can usually be treated easily and inexpensively with a daily thyroid hormone. The treatment is similar for women that are not pregnant and those who are. Also, because the treatment works to replace missing hormones, it doesn’t require any major changes to one’s lifestyle. If a woman with hyperthyroidism becomes pregnant, she can still have a joyous and healthy pregnancy, albeit a slightly more complicated one. She may need, for example, to have her thyroid functions checked during each trimester and subscribe to hormone replacement therapy throughout her pregnancy.
If you want to learn more about hypothyroidism, its causes, symptoms, detection and treatment, do speak to your doctor. You can also look out for an excellent book by Toni Wechsler called “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”, which is often touted as ‘the guidebook’ to infertility issues. The 2006 edition is published by First Collins (ISBN 9780060881900).
* Adline A. Ghani is an assistant museum curator tandem mummy who resides in Petaling Jaya. This multi-tasker is also pursuing her Masters in Art and Design.
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