Abstract
Treatment of Graves' disease during pregnancy with antithyroid drugs (ATDs) poses a risk of inducing hypothyroidism and, thus, development of a goiter to the fetus. PATIENT FINDINGS: We report two patients referred to our department after discovery of a fetal goiter by ultrasound examination in the second trimester of pregnancy. The women receiving 400 mg/day propylthiouracil and 10 mg/day thiamizole, respectively, had thyrotropin and total thyroxine values within the normal reference range but a lowered free thyroxine level. Fetal blood sampling by cordocentesis revealed severe fetal hypothyroidism as the cause of goiter development. Reduction of maternal ATD dose and injection of levothyroxine intra-amniotically quickly reduced the goiter size, and both babies were born euthyroid and without goiters.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Thyroid |
Volume | 21 |
Pages (from-to) | 75-81 |
Number of pages | 7 |
ISSN | 1050-7256 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adult
- Antithyroid Agents
- Female
- Fetal Diseases
- Goiter
- Graves Disease
- Humans
- Hypothyroidism
- Infant, Newborn
- Male
- Methimazole
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Complications
- Pregnancy Trimester, Second
- Propylthiouracil
- Thyrotropin
- Thyroxine