I have lived with an Under-active Thyroid since I was diagnosed when I was 12 years old so am very used to the symptoms and the medication but having an Under-active Thyroid whilst pregnant is a concern - especially when a little growing person relies on you. OK, I know this is all a bit serious sounding but if you have it, it is a big part of your pregnancy experience so I wanted to say something about it. I fell pregnant no problem but it is worth mentioning that the condition can cause problems when trying to conceive as it can prevent ovulation.
It is also worth mentioning the horror stories if you Google - I tried to ignore them but as a first time mum this is difficult. The truth is, yes having a Thyroid issue can cause miscarriages and yes it can cause birth defects but my consultant assures me this is rare especially when it is effectively managed throughout pregnancy.
Many people either don't know they have a Thyroid issue and others like my Sister develop it due to pregnancy. Hormonal and life events can trigger the condition, so if you have never been checked for it ask your midwife to test you with a blood test.
The British Thyroid Association recommends that medication of Thyroxine should be increased by 25/50mcg a day whilst pregnant. This is something I have only recently discovered as my hospital felt the need to substitute the specialist consultant with nurses (who I'm sure are brilliant but both myself and the consultant are disappointed this information failed to reach me.) Needless to say I will definitely be increasing my dosage in my next pregnancy. During the early part of pregnancy the baby entirely depends on you for the Thyroid hormone so if you are lacking you will both notice it.
The common symptoms of an Under-active Thyroid are:
Rapid Weight Gain
Depression
Feeling Cold
Brittle Hair and Nails
Muscle aches and Cramping
Exhaustion
Some of the symptoms are similar to the experiences of pregnancy (rapid weight gain?? lol) and I honestly cant say if the exhaustion I felt was due to the standard pregnancy strain pretty much everyone feels or because of my Thyroid issue. As for depression, my Baby Daddy has admitted I was an absolutely hormonal nightmare in the first trimester and recently I've had a couple of 'moments' but who knows if this is due to my Thyroid function (or lack of) or just pre baby blues.
One thing I have enjoyed though is having strong long shiny hair and nails without the continual need of hair masks and manicures and I actually feel warm most of the time rather than wanting to wear triple layers in autumn. I'm sure this is down to the fact that my medication has been managed continuously throughout. The biweekly blood tests do drive me mad but they are totally worth it - I'm sure my baby thinks so too :)
sources:
- http://www.british-thyroid-association.org/info-for-patients/Pregnancy/index.htm
- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Thyroid-under-active/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
- http://www.webmd.boots.com/pregnancy/underactive-thyroid-pregnancy-and-an-underactive-thyroid-gland
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