Can you get pregnant with thyroiditis?

Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
Updated on September 29, 2024
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Patients with thyroiditis can become pregnant, but they must keep their thyroid function within the normal range. During the course of thyroiditis, it can manifest in three phases: hyperthyroidism, euthyroidism, and hypothyroidism. When thyroid function is overactive, it is necessary to maintain thyroid function at a basically normal level, and then plan for pregnancy under the guidance of a doctor. For patients with reduced thyroid function, it is even more necessary to maintain thyroid function within the normal range. It is advisable to consult a doctor and plan for pregnancy only after ensuring thyroid function is normal, as reduced thyroid function can impair fetal intellectual development.

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What are the symptoms of acute thyroiditis?

Acute thyroiditis generally refers to acute suppurative thyroiditis, a type of pyogenic infectious disease. For instance, many patients may exhibit symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection or experience swelling, pain, or difficulty swallowing in the lateral aspect of the thyroid in the anterior neck following a fine needle aspiration biopsy of a thyroid nodule. The local skin over the thyroid may display erythema or heat, and some may also have systemic symptoms of a febrile disease, such as increased body temperature, generalized body aches, and fatigue, along with swelling and pain in the cervical lymph nodes. Thus, the primary symptoms of acute thyroiditis are infectious, accompanied by symptoms of compression pain due to thyroid enlargement.

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Initial symptoms of thyroiditis

If it is the early stage of subacute thyroiditis, the patient will experience a fever, mainly in the afternoon or at night. Secondly, there is pain when bending the neck forward, and many patients feel as if they have a sore throat and thus visit the otolaryngology department. Thirdly, in the early stages, the patient experiences transient hyperthyroidism, with symptoms such as palpitations, excessive sweating, weight loss, and insomnia. Therefore, with these symptoms, it is advisable to promptly visit an endocrinology specialist for further thyroid function tests and thyroid ultrasound, followed by a definitive diagnosis and comprehensive treatment.

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Causes of Acute Thyroiditis

We generally refer to acute thyroiditis as an acute suppurative thyroiditis, which is a type of purulent infectious disease, often caused by a mixed bacterial infection, such as staphylococcus, streptococcus, gram-negative bacilli, and anaerobes, etc. Patients with compromised or deficient immune functions, such as those with AIDS, leukemia, diabetes, can also have infections like fungi and pneumocystis. Some thyroid nodules, due to events like necrosis or cystic changes from punctures, can also cause a suppurative infection, and this condition is generally common among middle-aged and elderly patients. Therefore, the main cause of acute thyroiditis is mostly due to infections.

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There are several types of thyroiditis.

Thyroiditis primarily includes acute, subacute, and chronic forms. Acute and subacute thyroiditis are generally seen in bacterial and viral infections, while chronic thyroiditis mainly consists of autoimmune thyroiditis, painless thyroiditis, and postpartum thyroiditis. However, autoimmune thyroiditis itself encompasses five scenarios, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis, atrophic thyroiditis, painless thyroiditis, euthyroid thyroiditis, and Hashitoxicosis. These types of thyroiditis are mainly seen in chronic thyroid conditions and are all autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the type of thyroiditis should be determined based on the cause to develop appropriate treatment plans.

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How is thyroiditis treated?

The treatment of thyroiditis begins first with ensuring adequate rest and avoiding strenuous physical activities. Secondly, if the patient experiences symptoms such as fever and neck pain, anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications can be administered, such as celecoxib and indomethacin. Thirdly, if neck pain is particularly severe, integration with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments can be beneficial. In TCM, modifications of Xiao Chai Hu Tang can be used to clear heat and detoxify. At home, throat-soothing and pain-relieving medicines can be used, and locally applied Chinese herbal plasters can help reduce nodules and alleviate pain. If symptoms like fever and neck pain occur, it is essential to visit a hospital promptly for treatment under the guidance of a doctor.