Hypothyroidism doesn’t have to mean you can’t have a fabulous, healthy pregnancy! Although it may slightly complicate your pregnancy, in the end, your pregnancy could be as uneventful as that of a woman with a normal functioning thyroid.
Thyroid problems affect an estimated 59 million Americans, the vast majority of them women. Few women, however, are aware of the critical relationship between the thyroid gland – our master gland of metabolism – and nearly every aspect of child-bearing. As a woman, your thyroid can affect your fertility, your ability to become pregnant and maintain a healthy pregnancy, postpartum health, successful breastfeeding, and even the health of your baby.
Answers to many of your questions related to hypothyroidism and pregnancy are available online at Pregnancy and Hypothyroidism/Frequently Asked Questions, including the following:
- How do I know if I’m hypothyroid?
- What can I do to ensure my health – or my baby’s health – doesn’t suffer due to my hypothyroidism?
- Why is early medical attention during pregnancy so important?
- Am I taking a big a risk in becoming pregnant with a dysfunctional thyroid?
- How do I deal with my special needs for medical advice about medications and managing my thyroid during pregnancy?
- I really want to have a drug-free pregnancy. Should I stop taking my thyroid medication?
- Will my thyroid medications interfere with breastfeeding?
- What is the risk that my baby will inherit my Hashimoto’s disesase?
“It’s heartening to note,”says Mary Shomon, the author of this article, “That most women with thyroid disease are able to have an uneventful pregnancy and healthy baby. I did myself, back in 1997!”
Mary Shomon’s Thyroid Guide to Fertility, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Success, the popular 40-page mini-guide, is now incorporated into her new 406-page book: The Thyroid Hormone Breakthrough: Overcoming Sexual and Hormonal Problems at Every Age.
Among other topics relating to hypothyroidism, it contains information on: