The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria

There have been conflicting reports regarding the biochemical status of thyroid function in normal pregnancy. The objective of the current study, therefore, was to detect biochemical thyroid dysfunction among healthy pregnant women in Enugu and, if found, to elucidate the pattern.One hundred and six...

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Main Authors: Anthony U Mbah, Louis O Ekpechi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 1999-01-01
Series:International Journal of Medicine and Health Development
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijmhdev.com/article.asp?issn=2635-3695;year=1999;volume=4;issue=2;spage=67;epage=71;aulast=Mbah;type=0
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author Anthony U Mbah
Louis O Ekpechi
author_facet Anthony U Mbah
Louis O Ekpechi
author_sort Anthony U Mbah
collection DOAJ
description There have been conflicting reports regarding the biochemical status of thyroid function in normal pregnancy. The objective of the current study, therefore, was to detect biochemical thyroid dysfunction among healthy pregnant women in Enugu and, if found, to elucidate the pattern.One hundred and sixty three apparently healthy women with normal pregnancies who attended routine antenatal clinic in a general maternity hospital in Enugu, Nigeria from September 6 to October 18, 1994 were consecutively recruited into the study. Each of the subjects exhibited an aberrant value in one or more of the biochemical indices studied. In terms of the biochemical status of their thyroid function, 95 (58.3%) of all the pregnant women had both TSH and FT4 values within the laboratory reference ranges and so had features compatible with euthyroidism. The remaining 68 (41.7%) had some aberration in either the TSH or the FT4, or in both. Forty one (25.2%) had biochemical features suggestive of stage 2 hypothyroidism (high TSH + normal FT4), 19 (11.7%) had features indicative of stage 3 hypothyroidism (high TSH + low FT4), 3 (1.8%) had TSH and FT4 values within hyperthyroid ranges while 8(4.9%) had indeterminante status of thyroid function. It is concluded that patterns of biochemical indices of thyroid function compatible with primary hypothyroidism appear to be quite common among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu. However, biochemical hypothyroidism in pregnancy is more likely due to gestation than due to thyroid disease if serum TSH concentration is less than 11mU/L.
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spelling doaj.art-d2e4bf799cb94b13b6d91b5cea3fb1562022-12-22T04:39:20ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsInternational Journal of Medicine and Health Development2635-36951999-01-01426771The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, NigeriaAnthony U MbahLouis O EkpechiThere have been conflicting reports regarding the biochemical status of thyroid function in normal pregnancy. The objective of the current study, therefore, was to detect biochemical thyroid dysfunction among healthy pregnant women in Enugu and, if found, to elucidate the pattern.One hundred and sixty three apparently healthy women with normal pregnancies who attended routine antenatal clinic in a general maternity hospital in Enugu, Nigeria from September 6 to October 18, 1994 were consecutively recruited into the study. Each of the subjects exhibited an aberrant value in one or more of the biochemical indices studied. In terms of the biochemical status of their thyroid function, 95 (58.3%) of all the pregnant women had both TSH and FT4 values within the laboratory reference ranges and so had features compatible with euthyroidism. The remaining 68 (41.7%) had some aberration in either the TSH or the FT4, or in both. Forty one (25.2%) had biochemical features suggestive of stage 2 hypothyroidism (high TSH + normal FT4), 19 (11.7%) had features indicative of stage 3 hypothyroidism (high TSH + low FT4), 3 (1.8%) had TSH and FT4 values within hyperthyroid ranges while 8(4.9%) had indeterminante status of thyroid function. It is concluded that patterns of biochemical indices of thyroid function compatible with primary hypothyroidism appear to be quite common among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu. However, biochemical hypothyroidism in pregnancy is more likely due to gestation than due to thyroid disease if serum TSH concentration is less than 11mU/L.http://www.ijmhdev.com/article.asp?issn=2635-3695;year=1999;volume=4;issue=2;spage=67;epage=71;aulast=Mbah;type=0thyroid junctionthyroid dysfunctionpatternsnormal pregnancy
spellingShingle Anthony U Mbah
Louis O Ekpechi
The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria
International Journal of Medicine and Health Development
thyroid junction
thyroid dysfunction
patterns
normal pregnancy
title The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria
title_full The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria
title_fullStr The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria
title_short The pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria
title_sort pattern of thyroid function abnormalities seen among apparently healthy pregnant women in enugu nigeria
topic thyroid junction
thyroid dysfunction
patterns
normal pregnancy
url http://www.ijmhdev.com/article.asp?issn=2635-3695;year=1999;volume=4;issue=2;spage=67;epage=71;aulast=Mbah;type=0
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