Thyroid disease: Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy

Posted by Chantel Martiromo,  Article By Kyle J. Norton

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is under active and produces very little thyroid hormones.

Hypothyroidism solution
Treat hypothyroidism naturally with
effective natural therapy

Hypothyroidism during pregnancy
According to statistic, approximately 2% of all pregnancies suffer from some degrees of hypothyroidism and another 2 out of 1,000 pregnancies will be complicated by clinical hypothyroidism. If you have hypothyroidism during pregnancy, you may need to have your thyroid hormone checked every 4-6 weeks, if necessary, medication is also adjusted to make sure that your thyroid within the acceptable range.

The importance to have hypothyroidism under controlled in pregnancy
Thyroid hormones over or under the normal range can be harmful to your baby. In fact, in the first few months of pregnancy, your thyroids hormone is very important for the development of the fetus' brain. Hypothyroidism in pregnancy can lead to insufficient hormones, causing severe cognitive, neurological and developmental abnormalities. In serve cases, it can lead can lead
to impaired brain development in the baby, miscarriage, stillbirth, lower birth weight, etc.

Symptoms
1. Weight gain
Weight gain more than average of a pregnancy
2. Constipation
While diarrhea is a symptoms of hyperthyroidism, constipation is a symptom of hypothyroidism.
3. Fatigue
4. Facial ProblemsYour face looks swollen or puffy
5. Muscle cramps
6. Confusion,
7. Hair loss in your eyebrows
8. Etc.

Diagnosis and tests
Blood test is always important as soon as pregnancy is confirmed, especially for women with family and personal history of hypothyroidism. Test for thyroid stimulating hormone, if confirmed, certain medication, including levothyroxine, may be given to prevent the elevation of the disease and is adjusted to high dose if needed.


Causes and risk factors
1. Autoimmune disease
Hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune disease as a result of the cells of immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland. The disease can start suddenly or over a long time including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and atrophic thyroiditis.

2. Removal of thyroid gland
Surgical removal of the thyroid gland can cause low levels of thyroid hormones.

3. Radiation
Certain diseases including Graves’ disease, nodular goiter,or thyroid cancer are usually treated with radioactive iodine (I-131) with an aim to destroy the thyroid gland cause of diseases can lead to low levels of thyroid hormones.

4. Birth defect
Some baby was born with partly formed thyroid gland

5. Inflammation
Inflammation of thyroid gland may cause hypothyroidism.

6. Medication
Certain medication such as amiodarone, lithium, interferon alpha, can increase the risk of hypothyroidism.

7. Genetic factor
Gene passing through from one generation to generation. Sometime, it may skip.

8. Smoking
According to the World health organization, smoking is reported to be responsible for both decreasing secretion of thyroid hormone and blocking its action, thus exacerbating the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

9. Medical conditions
Medical condition such as Addison's disease, Myasthenia gravis,Polycystic ovarian syndrome,
Anorexia or bulimia are associated to the higher risk of hypothyroidism.

10. Etc.

Preventions
A. How to
1. Quit Smoking
2. Eating healthy
Eating healthy by providing your body before and during pregnancy is the best way to prevent all kins of diseases, including hyperthyroidism. For more information of over 100 healthy foods
3. Meditation or Yoga
Mediation and yoga can help a woman to calm and relax, thus reducing or lessening the risk of the disease caused by stress related
4. Limit intake of saturated fats and fats
As they can increase the risk of heart diseases and stroke.
5. Limit intake of alcohol
6. Moderate exercise to enhance the normal production of certain hormones.
7. Etc.

B. Nutritional supplements
1. L-tyrosine
The benefits of L-tyrosine, a nonessential amino acid is its function in assisting the making of thyroid hormones from the body. Since it promotes more thyroid hormone production, women with hyperthyroidism should avoid intake of L-tyrosine.

2. Omega 3 essential fatty acids
In a study of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases

Artemis P. Simopoulos, MD, FACN, reseacher found that the clinical condition and biochemical factors of patients with arthritis, but the clinical intervention studies in other autoimmune conditions have given conflicting results, most likely due to lack of an adequate number of subjects in some and not taking into consideration the background diet or genetic variation. There is a clear need for more carefully designed and controlled clinical trials in the therapeutic application of omega-3 fatty acids to human autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

3. Iodine
Women with deficiency of Iodine are at risk of developing hypothyroidism. According toThe Lancet, Volume 372, Issue 9633, Page 88, 12 July 2008, Iodine deficiency—way to go yet, indicated that acccording to WHO, in 2007, nearly 2 billion individuals had insufficient iodine intake, a third being of school age. Iodine deficiency can have serious consequences, causing abnormal neuronal development, mental retardation, congenital abnormalities, spontaneous abortion and miscarriage, congenital hypothyroidism, and infertility.

4. Selenium
According to an article of Selenium Critical to General Health and Thyroid Function
by Mary J. Shomon, the author wrote that selenium is a component of the enzyme that helps convert T4 to T3 peripherally, so deficiencies of selenium may impair thyroid function and promote hypothyroidism.

5. Zinc and copper
According to an article of Role of Zinc and Copper in Effective Thyroid Function posted in unarchive, indicated that
a. Copper plays an important role in thyroid metabolism, especially in hormone production and absorption. Copper stimulates the production of the thyroxine hormone (T4), and prevents over-absorption of T4 in the blood cells by controlling the body's calcium levels (Calcium is required for the stabilization of cell membranes and reduces cell permeability).
b. ust as copper is important for thyroid function, zinc too is needed to prevent thyroid problems. Zinc is involved in the process that converts inactive hormone T4 into active hormone T3. An excess of inactive thyroid hormones in the body can lead to an under active thyroid gland. An Italian study showed that patients suffering with hypothyroidism gained improved thyroid function by supplementing their diet with extra zinc.


6. Vitamin D
According to an article of Vitamin D and Hypothyroidism posted in the progressive health, the author wrote that Several articles published over 20 years ago showed that patients with hypothyroidism have low levels of Vitamin D, which may lead to some of the bone problems related to hypothyroidism. People with hypothyroidism may have low levels of Vitamin D due to poor absorption of Vitamin D from the intestine or the body may not activate the Vitamin D properly.

7. Etc.

Treatments
Thyroxine (T4) replacement
a. The aim of treatment is to bring your T4 and TSH back to normal levels with the synthesis thyroxine pills which similar to the natural T4 made by the thyroid gland.
b. Risks and side effects
b.1. If over doses
It can cause hyperthyroidism
b.2 Symptoms of hyperthyroidism
Including insomnia, greater appetite, nervousness, tremble, etc.
b.2. If under dose
Symptoms of hypothyroidism.
C. Follow up to make sure that T4 is within the acceptable range. If necessary, doses can be adjusted

Naturally Ovarian Cysts and PCOs Relief secret
Discovers Scientifically Proven Way To Reverse And
Eliminate All Ovarian Cysts & PCOS Within 2 Months Naturally


Super foods Library, Eat Yourself Healthy With The Best of the Best Nature Has to Offer

For the world most healthy foods lists, visit http://healthy-foods-index.blogspot.com/2011/03/healthy-foods-list.html
For other health articles, please visit http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.ca