Effects of pregnancy with thyroid

[sandeepvarma]

HI,

My wife is having Thyroid problem, she got that from her mother since birth. As she is taking medicines daily it was in balanced stage(not too high not too loo). My worry is does this problem effects kids. she is 27 no, we are planning to have baby, but my worry is, if my new born baby will get the same problem and will my baby suffer. please answe.

Thanks,
sandeepvarma

[gimel]

TSH is a pituitary hormone that is supposed to accurately reflect levels of the actual thyroid hormones.  In reality TSH cannot be shown to correlate well with either Free T4 or Free T3, much less correlate well with symptoms, which should be the main concern.   When already taking thyroid meds, TSH is almost a useless test.  

Your wife will not achieve adequate levels of actual thyroid hormones, if her meds are adjusted based on TSH only.  Your wife should be tested for Free T3 and Free T4 every time she goes in for tests, and her meds adjusted as necessary to relieve hypo symptoms, without being concerned about TSH. Most members say that symptom relief required Free T3 in the upper part of its range and Free T4 around the middle of its range.  Your wife should get the testing done, and get her medication gradually adjusted accordingly.  Then it would be the right time to try for a baby.  

Since hypo patients are frequently too low in Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, I also suggest testing for those as well.  If she will get all 5 tests done and post results here, we will be glad to help interpret and advise further.  

If Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is the cause for your wife's hypothyroidism, then there is no cure for it, but the effects can be prevented by taking adequate thyroid meds.  

[sandeepvarma]

Hi,

Yes she is being dosed based on TSH levels. now the levels are 0. something(sorry don't know the correct value). she is taking medicines daily, she got it from her mother(mother got it 3 years before my wife was about to born.) my wife is second child for her mother, the first girl child has no problem, only my wife got it. is there any chance to cure thyroid completely.
what would be right age to be pregnant with female having thyroid problem.
please advise.  

[gimel]

Was your wife diagnosed as having Hashimoto's Thyroiditis as the cause for her hypothyroidism?  When you say that her meds were balanced, does that mean she is being dosed based on TSH levels?  

Since you want to have a baby, it is vital that your wife takes enough thyroid med to get her biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and Total T4) to adequate levels, rather than just relying on TSH to medicate her.  

There is a hereditary factor With Hashi's, but even if your wife does have it, that only increases the likelihood that your children would also have it.