Pregnancy brings a lot of bodily changes, and while you might expect your midsection to get rounder, you probably don't give much thought to changes in your thyroid function. But thyroid changes can happen during pregnancy, and a malfunctioning thyroid can have disastrous effects on the health of you and your baby.

What Does Your Thyroid Do?

Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. The thyroid makes hormones — called thyroid hormones — that play an important role in several bodily functions, including energy usage, temperature regulation, and the function of your brain, heart, and other organs. Women are far more likely than men to develop thyroid issues, with one in eight women developing a thyroid problem in her lifetime, according to the American Thyroid Association.

Thyroid Health and Your Pregnancy

Thyroid hormones also play an important role in sustaining a healthy pregnancy.  According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, (NIDDK), thyroid hormones are vital for the development of your baby's brain and nervous system. The pregnancy hormones hCG and estrogen can cause higher thyroid hormone levels in your blood, according to NIDDK. Things can start to go awry when your thyroid either begins to produce too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism). 

Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy

An underactive thyroid during pregnancy can produce the following symptoms: 

• Extreme tiredness
• Severe constipation 
• Intolerance to cold
• Muscle cramps
• Issues with memory or concentration

Untreated hypothyroidism during pregnancy can increase your risk of miscarriage, congestive heart failure, pre-eclampsia, anemia, and postpartum hemorrhage.

If you have severe untreated hypothyroidism during pregnancy, your baby can be at risk for impaired brain development, according to the American Thyroid Association. 

Hyperthyroidism During Pregnancy

An overactive thyroid during pregnancy can cause: 

• Anxiety
• Weight loss 
• Intolerance to heat
• Rapid heart rate

If left untreated, hyperthyroidism can cause preterm labor or preeclampsia. Untreated hyperthyroidism can cause your baby to have a high heart rate, may cause them to be small for their gestational age, or may result in stillbirth. 

How Can I Stay Informed About My Thyroid Health?

If you're concerned about thyroid symptoms, speak with your healthcare team. If you want to assess the health of your thyroid non-invasively, thermography can help. Thermography is a safe, non-invasive way to measure the heat that's emitted from the surface of the body to detect inflammation, which can be a precursor to disease. Once you have the procedure, your thermograph is analyzed by a team of doctors who then provide their findings. 

CT Thermography is your premier destination for non-invasive thyroid screening. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.