Resumen

BARREIRA, Joana Filipa et al. Postpartum thyroiditis. Arq Med [online]. 2015, vol.29, n.2, pp.46-55. ISSN 2183-2447.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period have an important role in autoimmune thyroid diseases. The postpartum thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition that occurs in the first year postpartum, with a prevalence of 5.2 to 16.7% and an incidence of 3.9 to 8%. It can manifest itself as thyrotoxicosis and /or hypothyroidism. The prevalence is increased in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and other autoimmune diseases. The pathogenesis is not clarified yet, but it is believed that it develops as a result of the loss of immunological tolerance state of pregnancy, although it may be influenced by genetic and environmental factors such as iodine, tobacco and stress. In the hypothyroid phase it may need treatment with levothyroxine. It is most often transient, although a percentage can develop permanent hypothyroidism, so it is recommended the long term follow up. Nowadays universal screening is not recommended. This review article aims to systematize the main thyroid dysfunction in the postpartum, the postpartum thyroiditis, with emphasis on the most recent guidelines for approach of the pathology. It was made a research in the PubMed database with the keywords ‘postpartum thyroiditis’ OR ‘post-partum thyroiditis’, including articles published between1980 and 2012, in Portuguese and English. It was also referenced a textbook of Endocrinology.

Palabras clave : postpartum thyroiditis; pregnancy; postpartum period; autoimmune thyroiditis; thyroid; autoimmune thyroid disease.

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