A New Look at Hypothyroidism

Book excerpt: Hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid disorder. It can cause a variety of changes in women's menstrual periods, reduce their chances of becoming pregnant, as well as affect both the course of pregnancy and the neuropsychological development of babies. During pregnancy there is a substantially increased need for thyroid hormones and a substantial risk that a previously unnoticed, subclinical or latent hypothyroidism will turn into overt hypothyroidism. The thyroid inflammation caused by the patient's own immune system may form autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis). Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) occurs in approximately 1:2,000 to 1:4,000 newborns. Nearly all of the developed world countries currently practice newborn screening to detect and treat congenital hypothyroidism in the first weeks of life. "A New Look at Hypothyroidism" contains many important specifications and innovations for endocrine practice.