Re: Birth defects and thyroid disease..

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I am in the similar boat as you guys too. I am 10 weeks pregnant. Unfortunately my hypothyroid was detected in 5th week after I got pregnant. I was put on medicines right away but I cant help to think about it everyday. One sentence in that article said a fetal endocardiogram is advised. Do you ladies have any ideas about what this is and how is it performed?

A fetal endocardiogram is an ultrasound, looking specifically at the heart sometime after week18, because the structures are too small before then. It may be a part of regular screening that takes place in High-Risk/pregnancies. It isn't intrusive and might be done even if you don't have TD. Your TD was caught early and you're being treated, that's what's important. Concentrate on eating and living healthy and following your provider's instructions. Check out the net and learn more about TD and pregnancy. Best wishes, Marie

At Tue, 8 Jul 2003, Marie wrote: Dear KAH, I'm 14weeks/hypothyroid/.075mg. I share your concern but additional risk should be small. That being said, the question you raise is interesting but doesn't have a simple answer. Is this the study?: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press/2002/JANUARY/020117.htm I think the answer is yes/no. There's greater risk of birth defects when Thyroid Disease(TD) is present and the TD may affect the viability of pregnancy unrelated to defects, but not that TD is necessarily the direct cause all defects found in offspring of mothers with TD. How does one optimize thyroid function, appropriately manage before/during/after pregnancy and not confuse birth defects with a known cause(Downs) where TD and other defects may also be present, with defects with unknown cause or attributed to TD.................. The study made a point re:antibodies may be significant as TSH levels are the standard by which TD is measured, antibodies opens up new questions as well as, other options for treatment. We're all concerned re:birth defects, the risk might be slightly greater in treated but otherwise healthy women or dependent on risk factors, than in "normal" populations and <unDx/unTx women with TD have a far greater risk. Knowledge is power and the future depends on what we do now.

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