Childbirth and the postpartum period is an important stage in the life of every woman, and a fairly common disease that often occurs during this period, often not considered, is postpartum thyroiditis. It occurs in certain categories of women in the first year after childbirth and is associated with thyroid autoimmunity, points out Dr. Diana Loreta Paun, primary endocrinologist at the CI Parhon Institute in Bucharest.

While postpartum depression affects about one in 10 women, autoimmune thyroiditis affects about one in 20 women, but the symptoms of the two conditions can often be confused.

Postpartum thyroiditis presents with different clinical manifestations, so it can be difficult to recognize, explains Dr. Diana Loretta Paun.

Many women fall into the category of postpartum depression when they develop a pathology like postpartum thyroiditis, which clinically includes mood disorders and depression, the doctor says.

Therefore, including a nursing woman, if such changes are detected, she should be referred to an endocrinologist, says the doctor.

Depression or postpartum thyroiditis? / Photo: Rayp808 | Dreamstime.com

Postpartum depression affects one in ten women, and postpartum thyroiditis affects one in 20

According to endocrinologist Diana Paun, postpartum thyroiditis affects about 5% of women at this stage, especially those who have had postpartum thyroiditis in a previous pregnancy, those with diabetes, or those with a personal or family history of thyroid dysfunction.

“That’s the wake-up call I send to my OB-GYN colleagues who see pregnant and postpartum women to refer the woman to an endocrinologist as well,” she says.

why “The consequences are significant, from the polymorphic symptoms experienced by the mother, to the effect of hypothyroidism on fertility in subsequent pregnancies, and in terms of increased abortion rates.”

Risks associated with the presence of antithyroid antibodies are associated with: spontaneous abortion, perinatal mortality, premature birth, respiratory distress.

And children after a certain age may have problems with attention and behavior, draws the attention of doctor Diana Paun.

“That’s why it’s so important to properly monitor a pregnant woman and know what consequences these problems associated with thyroid gland pathology have during pregnancy and after childbirth,” the doctor concludes.

Depression or postpartum thyroiditis? / Photo: Anastasia Tsiasemnikova | Dreamstime.com

Thyroid gland, the largest endocrine organ: there is no body function that is not influenced by thyroid hormones

The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine organ, and thyroid hormones are involved in the growth, development and function of virtually every tissue in the body, explains Dr. Diana Peun.

“Thyroid hormones play a variety of roles. There is practically no function of the body and no organ that is not under the influence of thyroid hormones,” says the doctor.

“The heart beats because it is also stimulated by thyroid hormones. The gastrointestinal tract works precisely because the motility of the gastrointestinal tract is under the control of thyroid hormones. Metabolism, thermoregulation, heat production, carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism are under the control of thyroid hormones. Of course, other hormones as well, but thyroid hormones are the most frequently studied and known from a metabolic point of view,” explains Dr. Diana Loretta Peun.

Read also:

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• More than 700,000 Romanians suffer from hypothyroidism, the most common thyroid disease, but the disease is underdiagnosed. Symptoms for which you should consult a doctor