conferenceseries.

com Endocrinol Metab Syndr 2018, Volume 7

DOI: 10.4172/2161-1017-C2-027

11th World Congress on

Endocrinology and Metabolic Disorders
and
2 International Conference on
nd

Thyroid & Pregnancy

September 03-04, 2018 Auckland, New Zealand

Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy and Postpartum period: The beginning of the end or just
something new?
Eftychia Koukkou MD, PhD 2, Konstantinos B Markou MD, PhD 1, Ioannis Kakoulidis MD, MSc 2, Ioannis Ilias MD, PhD 2, Anastasia Linardi MD, MSc 2,
Charalampos Milionis MD, MSc 2, Fotini Petychaki MD 2, Ekaterini Michou MD 2, Evaggelia Venaki MD 2, Stamatina C Nikopoulou MD, PhD 2
1
University Medical School, University Hospital, Greece,
2
Diabetes and Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Greece.

Statement of the Problem: There is inconsistency in the literature regarding the management in the postpartum period of
women diagnosed with Hypothyroidism (HT) during pregnancy.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: To determine whether levothyroxine treatment continuation or discontinuation is
essential in the postpartum period, we conducted a retrospective case file study of women with new onset subclinical or overt
HT during pregnancy. Follow-Up (FU) was up to 1 year postpartum. We excluded patients with thyroid disorders in the past.
The study included 147 women (mean ageSD: 31.3±5.6 years). Levothyroxine (LTH) treatment began at 18.7±8.6 weeks of
gestation. Statistical evaluation was done with analysis of covariance.
Findings: On treatment initiation, mean TSH value was 4.48±2.58 μIU/mL and a mean dose of 71.5±20.4 μg of LTH was given.
A total of 30 women discontinued LTH after delivery. In the remaining 117 women the mean LTH dose was decreased. Mean
TSH value on the first postpartum visit was 1.84±1.8 μIU/mL; after the first postpartum visit LTH was discontinued in another
40 women. At the time of the second visit (after 6 months), in 64 (43.5%) women, LTH was discontinued. At the 1 year FU,
in 13/64 patients (20.3%) who stopped LTH in the postpartum period, treatment was reinstated due to HT relapse (this was
unrelated to age, gestational age, body weight gain, initial dosage, thyroid antibodies positivity and presence of gestational
diabetes).
Conclusion & Significance: Taking into consideration the paucity of data in the literature regarding the management of HT in
the postpartum period, our study underlines the need to reassess thyroid function at 6 months to 1 year postpartum.
ekoukkou@gmail.com

Endocrinology & Metabolic Syndrome Endocrinology Congress and Thyroid 2018 Volume 7
September 03-04, 2018
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