Postpartum thyroiditis in Uruguay

Abstract

Postpartum tiroiditis is a syndrome of thyroid dysfunction permanent or transitory that occurs after childbirth. There is no data on the prevalence of postpartum thyroidism in Uruguay.
Objective: to asses prevalence of postpartum thyroi-dism in a cohort of women, users of Public Health Services.
Methods: a descriptive observational study of 105 women who had given birth in the previous 9 months was performed. Women with already known thyroid disease were excluded.
All women were treated with thyrotropine; at month three women with pathology received an extra dose o thyrotropine and antithyroperoxidase antibodies.
Results: postpartum thyroidism was found in 5,7%, non-associated hypothyroidism with thyroidism in 6.7% (12,4% total). Pathologic associated symptoms rate was no significant (x2=0,431). The curve of TSH normal values was determinated considering postpartum months.
Conclusions: the concept of postpartum thyroidism as a mild and temporal desorder is changing, it is currently recognized as an acute fase of a chronic autoimmune thyroiditis process with negative sequelae for both mother and child. Wideworld prevalence is 1,1% to 21%; our population showed 5,7% women with the disease and total pathologic findings in 12,4% women, non-associated with clinical symtomps.
The prevalence of this affection may necessary to assess and design adequate screening tools.