31 May Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Thyroid Diseases

MedicalResearch.com eInterview with Pauline Mendola, PhD
Investigator
Epidemiology Branch
Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH Rockville, MD 20852

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Mendola: Women with thyroid disease during pregnancy had more obstetric complications including preeclampsia and preterm birth.  They were also more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit during their delivery admission.

MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Mendola: No previous studies have observed the increase in intensive care unit admission among women with hypothyroidism, the most common type of thyroid disease in pregnant women.  We were also able to study uncommon thyroid diseases like iatrogenic hypothyroidism which was associated with increased risk of placental abruption, breech presentation, and cesarean section after spontaneous labor.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Mendola: Thyroid diseases were associated with increased risks for many obstetric, labor and delivery complications.  Careful monitoring of thyroid function during pregnancy may be helpful.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Mendola: We did not have information on treatment in our study.  Future research is needed to determine if well-managed thyroid disease will mitigate the risks of obstetric complications.

Citation:

Thyroid Diseases and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in a Contemporary U.S. Cohort

Mannisto T, et al “Thyroid diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes in a contemporary U.S. cohort”
J Clinical Endocrinol Metab 2013.

Last Updated on May 31, 2013 by Marie Benz MD FAAD