How to control the thyroid during pregnancy?

Getting thyroid during pregnancy is the most common. When the untreated or uncontrolled thyroid during pregnancy causes serious effects on the baby like premature baby birth, affects the internal organs. If a woman is already has a thyroid disorder and planning for a baby also has complications in getting pregnant. She had to control her thyroid levels through medications and diet for getting her pregnant soon. Like this thyroid plays a major part in both pre and post-pregnancy. This article let us know more about the thyroid, how it affects pregnancy, and measures to control the thyroid.

Get thyroid tested from home through Drugcarts. Register here http://www.drugcarts.com

What is a thyroid?



The thyroid is a disease that affects the thyroid glands. Thyroid glands are butterfly-shaped glands present in the neck. Thyroid glands produce thyroid hormones which help to control the functions of the body like controlling the blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. When the thyroid hormones secrete more is known as hyperthyroidism and when the thyroid hormone secrete less it is known as hypothyroidism. Both the states are at risk, and thyroid hormones should be at proper levels.

Role of thyroid hormones during pregnancy



During pregnancy, thyroid hormones help in the growth of the baby. In the first trimester, the baby completely relies on thyroid hormones for the growth which is attained through the placenta. By the second-trimester baby’s thyroid gland starts to function but it does not produce enough hormones till 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Due to the pregnancy hormones of estrogen and HCG, the levels of thyroid hormones change during the pregnancy for the healthier and more obsessed women have more chance of having thyroid during pregnancy.

How thyroid affects the pregnancy?

Thyroid has two conditions hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism both are to be treated during pregnancy hence both have a chance of affecting the baby and the mom.

Hyperthyroidism




Hyperthyroidism is a condition where there is too much thyroid hormone secretion.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of the thyroid are hard to find by physical examination. Only by doing thyroid tests [blood tests], the doctors can diagnose the levels of thyroid.

•          Faster and irregular heart rate

•          Tiredness

•          Weight loss

•          Nausea

•          Nervousness

•          Sensitivity to heat and cold

Risks of hyperthyroidism

When the hyperthyroidism is not treated during pregnancy, it can lead to

•          Miscarriage

•          Low birth weight

•          Premature baby birth

•          Preeclampsia [ raise in blood pressure]

•          Placental abruption

•          Placental abruption

•          Thyroid storm [ sudden severity in symptoms ]

How to control hyperthyroidism?

Earlier diagnosing will help to control the thyroid levels throughout the pregnancy. It can be controlled by,

Taking antithyroid medicines [ATDs]

Intake more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, and kale. The goitrogens content in these vegetables helps to control the thyroid hormones.

Add more zinc-rich foods. High secretion of thyroid hormones depletes the zinc content in the body.

Avoid iodine foods. Iodine increases the activity of thyroid hormones so intake as per the doctor’s advice.

Intake lean meat. Add lean meat to your pregnancy diet to control the thyroid hormones and avoid dark red meats.

Hypothyroidism



Hypothyroidism is the condition where the thyroid glands are less reactive and it affects the overall function of the body. When the pregnant woman is affected with hypothyroidism it affects the growth of the baby since the initial stage of the baby's growth needs thyroid hormones.

Symptoms

Symptoms of hypothyroidism for the mother is the same as the symptom of the pregnant woman so it is hard to diagnose. It is better to undergo a thyroid function test in the second trimester to know the thyroid levels. Some of the symptoms are:

•          Tiredness

•          Muscle cramps

•          Constipation

•          Memory loss

•          Change in skin and hair colour

•          Swelling on the face

•          Weight gain

Risks of hypothyroidism

·        Anaemia

·        Higher chance of infertility

·        Miscarriage

·        Gestational hypertension

·        Low birth weight baby

·        Infantile myxedema [dwarfism for a baby that is intellectual disabilities]

·        Heart failure

How to control hypothyroidism?

Apart from the doctor prescribing medications hypothyroidism can be controlled by following the right diet habits.

Intake of a healthy and timely meal. Eating at the right time is more important to maintain the metabolism of the body. So eat the well-cooked foods. Avoid processed foods. Intake healthy and fresh fruits and vegetables. Maintain proper hygiene in food.

Load up with greens. Intake leafy greens in your meal. Like spinach, kale, moringa, lettuce, and fenugreek. Greens contain more magnesium content which can control hypothyroidism.

Intake grains. Hypothyroidism can cause severe constipation during pregnancy. Intaking the grains in food can help to prevent constipation.

Eats nuts daily. Nuts like cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios have more magnesium content. Nuts can regulate the functions of thyroid glands faster.

Avoid cruciferous vegetables, which can disturb the thyroid hormones.

Intake sufficient Vitamin D.

Thyroid during pregnancy can be controlled by following the proper medications and the right diet plan. To ensure a safe pregnancy get tested your thyroid levels right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fruits to avoid during pregnancy

Image
  Pregnancy becomes the most precious period in a women’s life. Every woman dreams of such an awesome time to hold a healthy baby in their hands. There are a lot of restrictions at the time of pregnancy like travelling, physical activities, foods to eat and it also includes fruits. We all know fruits have a lot of health benefits and it helps for growth at the same time there are many fruits which should be avoided during the pregnancy. This is because some fruits may harm your fetus's growth. Consult your doctor and take full advice on what to eat and what not to eat during the pregnancy. You can also get a dietician consultation to know more about the foods which make your pregnancy period healthier. Drugcarts provides nutritionist consultation and other pregnancy care services at an offered price. Get an online consultation now! Although fruits are healthy, nutritious, and recommended but some fruits are advised not to take during pregnancy. It is a precaution if you ignor...
Read more

Understanding the Significance of Waist-to-Hip Ratio in Health Assessment

Image
  In the realm of health and fitness, Body Mass Index (BMI) has long been considered the gold standard for assessing one's overall health. However, a growing body of research suggests that another measurement - Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) - may offer a more nuanced and accurate reflection of an individual's health status. In this article, we delve into the reasons why WHR might be a superior health measurement compared to BMI. The Difference: WHR vs. BMI While BMI measures the proportion of body weight to height, WHR considers the distribution of body fat, specifically focusing on the ratio of fat stored around the waist to that around the hips. This differentiation is pivotal in understanding why WHR can provide a more comprehensive insight into an individual's health. 1. Abdominal Obesity and Health Risks One of the key advantages of WHR is its ability to highlight abdominal obesity. Research consistently associates higher WHR with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, ...
Read more

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA)| Fatal Genetic Disorder | Autosomal Recessive Disorder

Image
  Methylmalonic acidemia or MMA is generally a rare and fatal genetic disorder which affects metabolism and body systems that usually affects about 1 in 100,000 infants. Generally, these defects are caused by a genetic defect which prevents the body from processing proteins from foods you eat. People who have this health condition are unable to produce an enzyme which is needed to break down. This health condition causes a buildup of acids and other toxic substances in the blood, urine and other cells which includes brain cells other than creating proteins from your foods. Usually, this disease will mostly be diagnosed within a few months of life. But, how this toxic substance buildup will affect the body and it can vary drastically from one person to another person. For some people, this health condition can cause severe long term problems like seizures, strokes, growth problems, developmental delays and frequent severe illness. This metabolic defect leads to buildup of methylmalo...
Read more