Abstract
Many changesin the funcioning of the thyroid gland occur during pragnancy and some diseases of the thyroid gland can affect both the pregnant woman and the foetus. Thyroid gland disorders occur not only in pregnancy, but among the risk women also postpartum.
The risk is higher in women with positivity of autoantibodies against thyroperoxidase (anti TPO), as well as with limited intake of iodine. The health of the foetus is dependet on sufficient level of thyroxin.
During the first trimester, the foetus is completely dependet upon thyroxin produced by the mother. Even a small unnoticed malfunction of the thyroid glan increases risk of foetal wastage and can affect the course of pregnancy.
The right diagnosis and timely treatment of thyroid disfunction of this negative impact. The main laboratory parameters used for thyroid diagnosis are thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (FT4), and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti TPO).
The positivity of anti TPO may lead to postpartum thyroiditis, higher rate of spontaneous miscarriages and also to developement of thyroid dysfuncion in the course of pragnancy.