Hashimoto's Disease

So I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease prior to getting pregnant and I thought I would share a little info about it as to the importance it plays in fertility and maintaining pregnancy. Here is a brief description on what it is.....

What is Hashimoto's disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It also is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (theye-royd-EYET-uhss). The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4 that regulate how the body uses energy. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by the pituitary, which is a pea-sized gland in the brain. It makes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers the thyroid to make thyroid hormone.

With Hashimoto’s disease, the immune system makes antibodies that damage thyroid cells and interfere with their ability to make thyroid hormone. Over time, thyroid damage can cause thyroid hormone levels to be too low. This is called an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism (heye-poh-THEYE-royd-ism). An underactive thyroid causes every function of the body to slow down, such as heart rate, brain function, and the rate your body turns food into energy. Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. It is closely related to Graves’ disease, another autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid.

I was very surprised to learn that I had this disease because I was asymptomatic. Fortunately I found a great endocrinologist who agreed to manage me during my pregnancy. I have blood work drawn every 4 weeks to check my TSH and T4 levels to make sure they are within the very strict parameters they should be in during pregnancy. Due to the overwhelming demands on the body during pregnancy, my medication regimen may change several times to ensure the safety of the baby and myself. As in most thyroid related diseases, I will remain on medication for the majority of my life.

I wanted to put this out there for anyone who may have or may think they have a thyroid disorder. I didn't realize the importance of the thyroid when it comes to getting pregnant and carrying a healthy pregnancy. Don't hesitate to ask your doctors questions about testing your thyroid if you have had complications getting or maintaining pregnancy.