Postpartum thyroiditis
| Postpartum thyroiditis | |
| ICD-10 | O90.5 |
|---|---|
| DiseasesDB | 10441 |
| MeSH | D050032 |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Postpartum thyroiditis is usually a transient phenomenon observed following pregnancy and may involve hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or the two sequentially. It affects about 5% of all women within a year after giving birth. The first phase is typically hyperthyroidism. Then, the thyroid either returns to normal or a woman develops hypothyroidism. Of those women who experience hypothyroidism associated with postpartum thyroiditis, one in five will develop permanent hypothyroidism requiring life-long treatment.
Pathophysiology
Postpartum thyroiditis is believed to result from the modifications to the immune system necessary in pregnancy, and histologically is a lymphocytic thyroiditis. The process is normally self-limiting, but when conventional antibodies are found there is a high chance of this proceeding to permanent hypothyroidism. Postpartum thyroiditis is a member of the group of thyroiditis conditions known as resolving thyroiditis.
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