Asymptomatic Thyroid Disease Is Present In Every Fifth Woman Who Has Had A Miscarriage

Asymptomatic thyroid disease is present in every fifth woman who has had a miscarriage

Millions of women could avoid this outcome if hypothyroidism is diagnosed and treated early.

Photo: Pete Linforth / Pixabay

Mild thyroid dysfunctions are common in women of childbearing age, but are often not diagnosed until pregnancy. Scientists have found that one in five women with a history of miscarriages or long-term difficulties in conception (with subfertility) has such a problem. The research paper that shows this is published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

The authors of the new study believe that identifying thyroid disorders in women before pregnancy is extremely important. Such pathologies negatively affect the ability to conceive and carry a pregnancy, that is, they increase the risk of premature birth, miscarriages, and subfertility.

Scientists analyzed data from 49 UK hospitals over 5 years. The array of information they processed included 19 thousand women with a history of miscarriage and subfertility, who were analyzed for thyroid hormones.

Overt glandular disease was rare in study participants, but subclinical (non-symptomatic) decreases in thyroid hormone levels were found in nearly 20% of study participants. They were more often detected in overweight women.

“The study found that one in five women with a history of miscarriage and subfertility had a mild thyroid disorder who tried to conceive. It is important to find out if treating these disorders can improve pregnancy outcomes,”said Rima Dhillon-Smith, professor at the University of Birmingham and co-author of the study. She added that the number of women who can benefit from such treatment is enormous.