)
Women who develop thyroid problems after giving birth may not always have a permanent condition, says nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary. She says some women are diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease after pregnancy when they may actually have temporary postpartum thyroiditis.
Postpartum thyroiditis happens because the immune system changes during and after pregnancy. During pregnancy, the immune system naturally becomes less active to protect the baby, says Rashi.
After delivery, it becomes active again. In about one in 10 women, this immune response can become too strong and inflame the thyroid gland, she explains.
She says that many women are told they have a lifelong thyroid condition after having a baby without fully understanding why their thyroid levels have changed, adding that the condition can look similar to Hashimoto's in blood tests, but postpartum thyroiditis usually happens in different phases.
She explains that in the first phase, the thyroid releases too much hormone. Women may feel tired but also restless or “wired”, have trouble sleeping, feel stressed and experience hair loss. These symptoms can sometimes be dismissed as normal new-mother exhaustion or adrenaline.
In the second phase, thyroid hormone levels can drop. Women may feel extremely tired, emotionally flat and exhausted all the time. These symptoms can also be mistaken for postpartum depression. And for many women, the thyroid function returns to normal in the third phase without lifelong treatment.
However, for some women, the thyroid problem becomes permanent, explains Rashi. "This is why monitoring is important instead of assuming that every thyroid problem after pregnancy will last for life," she says.
Rashi says one important indicator is the level of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies. She recommends getting TPO antibodies checked early in pregnancy.
"The postpartum period brings major hormonal and immune changes to the body. Thyroid problems during this time therefore need proper testing and follow-up to determine whether the condition is temporary or permanent," she wrote.
According to her, women with high TPO antibody levels have about a one-in-three chance of developing a permanent thyroid problem.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.