Glossary

Term · Postpartum: Your Body

postpartum thyroiditis

Also: postpartum thyroid inflammation, silent thyroiditis

Inflammation of the thyroid gland in the months after birth. It can cause a brief overactive phase, then an underactive phase, and usually settles.

In plain words

Postpartum thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid gland that appears in the first year after birth. It often happens in two phases. First the thyroid can release too much hormone, which can feel like a racing heart, , shakiness, anxiety, or trouble sleeping. Some months later it can make too little, which can feel like fatigue, feeling cold, low mood, constipation, or weight changes. Many mothers have no symptoms at all. Because these symptoms overlap with normal new-parent exhaustion and with , a blood test is how it gets found. Most cases resolve over time, but some mothers need treatment for a while. Thyroid problems are not caused by anything you did. Tell your provider if you have a racing heart, unusual fatigue, or mood changes that persist.

The deeper version

Postpartum thyroiditis is an autoimmune-mediated lymphocytic thyroiditis with a biphasic course, a transient thyrotoxic phase followed by a hypothyroid phase, and often a return to euthyroidism. Prevalence is around 5 to 10 percent of women in the first postpartum year, with higher rates in women with thyroid peroxidase antibodies (Stagnaro-Green, 2012). Screening strategies are debated: the American Thyroid Association (2011) guidelines recommend assessment of women with symptoms or known antibodies, rather than universal testing. Thyrotoxic symptoms may be confused with hyperthyroidism from Graves disease, which is distinguished by radioiodine uptake, and hypothyroid symptoms overlap with depression. The main controversy is whether universal postpartum thyroid screening improves maternal outcomes.

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Sources

  • Stagnaro-Green A et al. — Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and postpartum. Thyroid (2011)
  • Stagnaro-Green A — Postpartum thyroiditis. Best Practice and Research in Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2012)

The Mothership Topic Wiki is general information for mothers and the people who care for them. It is not medical, legal, or mental-health advice and does not create a provider relationship. Experiences posted by members are their own. In an emergency call 911. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.