Managing Thyroid Disease During and After Pregnancy: Guidelines

Thyroid disease is known to affect many aspects of pregnancy and postpartum health, as well as the health of the baby. In an effort to organize the various and sometimes contradictory practices with regarding to thyroid disease and pregnancy, clinical guidelines for the management of thyroid problems in pregnancy and during the postpartum period were published in August 2007. They were created by a group of endocrinologists from around the world, under the leadership of the U.S.-based Endocrine Society, over a two-year period.

The guidelines were published in the August 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

The following is a summary of the key components of the guidelines, which have important implications for women who develop thyroid disease during or after pregnancy, or who have a diagnosed thyroid condition prior to becoming pregnant.