MAINZ/WIESBADEN. Irritability, depressive moods in women after giving birth – if these symptoms occur, the cause may also be a hormonal disorder, emphasises endocrinologist Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Christian Wüster. This disorder can be due to a functional disorder of the thyroid gland. This is known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The third Hormone Week organised by the German Society of Endocrinology (DGE) has drawn attention to this connection. It often takes a long time for this diagnosis to be made. Statistically, around seven per cent of all women develop Hashimoto’s thyroiditis after giving birth. This is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland.
The symptoms are often explained by the so-called ‘baby blues’. However, exhaustion, pronounced irritability and sleep disorders can also be caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The reason why this functional disorder of the thyroid gland occurs in the period from around six to 52 weeks after giving birth is unclear. Because it does not cause any pain, this hormonal disorder often remains undetected.
It has been shown that women in particular who develop increased thyroid antibodies during pregnancy have a higher risk of developing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. These are women who are prone to Hashimoto’s, Graves’ disease or diabetes. Women with a family history of thyroid disease are also at risk.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis progresses in phases. Hyperthyroidism initially causes nervousness, an accelerated heartbeat and excessive sweating. This is followed by a phase of hypothyroidism, which is accompanied by listlessness. Depressive moods and anxiety can occur. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is diagnosed by means of a blood test, which can show inflammation of the thyroid gland, and an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is generally considered to be easily treatable, as appropriate medication can be prescribed for each of the phases of the disease. The disease regresses in some women after about a year. Representatives of the German Society of Endocrinology demand that women with postpartum depression should always be examined for thyroid dysfunction. The susceptibility of the thyroid gland to malfunction during pregnancy is often underestimated, especially in high-risk patients.
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