Therapy of Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy

Abstract

This report presents the prospective analysis of 46 pregnant women with hypothyroidism who were treated before and during pregnancy with thyroid hor mone substitutional therapy. Novothyral in a constant dose was administered to 23.9% of pregnant women compared to the non-pregnant patients. The greatest number of pregnant women (76.1%) received Vobenol in a dose ranging from 75 200 ug. Depending on the clinical and laboratory analysis, Vobenol dose was in creased in 40.0% of women with idiopathic and in 22.6% with postoperative hypothyroidism. The dose of the drug was not lowered during the whole pregnancy course in any of the patients. The delivery occurred in 82.6% of patients. In 13.2% of women delivered prior to term, while spontaneous abortion was present in 17.4% of the treated patients. There were 5.3% stillbirths which corresponds to the rate of perinatal mortality. One infant was born with hydrocephalus while the others were healthy. The authors are of the opinion that it is necessary to achieve normal metabolic status before pregnancy which should be maintained with substitutional therapy during the whole pregnancy. (Thai J Obstet Gynaecol 1993;5:25-31.)