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Thyroid hormone concentrations in blood are increased in pregnancy, partly due to the high levels of estrogen and due to the weak thyroid stimulating effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) that acts like TSH. Thyroxine (T4) levels rise from about 6–12 weeks, and peak by mid-gestation; reverse changes are seen with TSH.
Women with symptoms or a very high TSH level, or both, are usually prescribed a course of levothyroxine. [3] Asymptomatic women with slightly elevated TSH levels who are planning subsequent pregnancies, should consider a course of treatment until completion of the family to avoid possible developmental complications in future children. [3]
This study also looked at neural development in rats and found that maternal hypothyroidism in rat mothers is related to deterioration, damage, disorganization and malformation of neurons and dendrites in the pups, which may result from an impaired antioxidant defense system and high levels of oxidative stress. [4]
Levels of hemoglobin are lower in the third trimesters. According to the United Nations (UN) estimates, approximately half of pregnant individuals develop anemia worldwide. Anemia prevalences during pregnancy differed from 18% in developed countries to 75% in South Asia; culminating to a global rate of 38% of pregnancies worldwide. [1] [5] [32]
TSH levels are determined by a classic negative feedback system in which high levels of T3 and T4 suppress the production of TSH, and low levels of T3 and T4 increase the production of TSH. TSH levels are thus often used by doctors as a screening test, where the first approach is to determine whether TSH is elevated, suppressed, or normal. [25]
Successful pregnancy outcomes are improved when hypothyroidism is treated. [130] Levothyroxine treatment may be considered at lower TSH levels in pregnancy than in standard treatment. [15] Liothyronine does not cross the fetal blood-brain barrier, so liothyronine (T 3) only or liothyronine + levothyroxine (T 3 + T 4) therapy is not indicated in ...
The diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is confirmed by blood tests that show a decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level and elevated T 4 and T 3 levels. TSH is a hormone made by the pituitary gland in the brain that tells the thyroid gland how much hormone to make. When there is too much thyroid hormone, the TSH will be low.
TSH is secreted throughout life but particularly reaches high levels during the periods of rapid growth and development, as well as in response to stress. The hypothalamus, in the base of the brain, produces thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). TRH stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce TSH.