What are the effects of low TSH during pregnancy?

If a woman has low TSH during pregnancy, it is likely caused by abnormal thyroid function. If the thyroid function is too low, active treatment is generally required, because abnormal thyroid function will affect the growth and development of the fetus. However, most cases of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy will appear in the second trimester, and for some people it will gradually disappear in the third trimester. Monitor changes in the thyroid gland at any time, try to eat a light diet, and have regular check-ups.

Symptoms of thyroid abnormalities in pregnant women

The disease progresses slowly, usually over months to years or even longer, and the patient is found to have a neck mass due to slight discomfort or without any symptoms. Most of them are single, round or oval, with a smooth surface, clear boundaries, and a tough texture. They have no adhesion to surrounding tissues, are painless, and can move up and down with swallowing. The tumor is usually several centimeters in diameter, and giant tumors are rare. The onset of thyroid tumors is very insidious, and patients may not have any symptoms in the early and middle stages of the disease. As the disease progresses, discomfort and stuffiness in the anterior neck may occur, followed by enlargement and bulging of the lower anterior neck, or a tumor may be felt by hand. If not treated in time, the disease will further progress, compressing the trachea and surrounding tissues. Patients may experience shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing and swallowing difficulties. When thyroid cancer metastasizes to the lungs, symptoms such as irritating cough and chest pain may occur.

What are the causes of thyroid abnormalities?

The exact cause of the disease is still difficult to determine, but based on epidemiological surveys, experimental tumor studies and clinical observations, the occurrence of thyroid cancer may be related to the following factors.

1. Radiation damage

Exposure to X-rays on the thyroid glands of experimental mice can induce thyroid cancer in the animals. Experiments have shown that 131Ⅰ can change the metabolism of thyroid cells, deform the cell nucleus, and greatly reduce the synthesis of thyroid hormone. It can be seen that on the one hand, radiation causes abnormal division of thyroid cells, leading to cancer; on the other hand, it damages the thyroid gland and makes it unable to produce endocrine hormones. The resulting large amount of secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) can also promote thyroid cell cancer.

2. Iodine and TSH

Excessive or insufficient iodine intake can cause changes in the structure and function of the thyroid gland. For example, the incidence of thyroid cancer in Switzerland, where goiter is endemic, is 2‰, which is 20 times higher than in non-endemic areas such as Berlin. On the contrary, a high-iodine diet can also easily induce thyroid cancer. Iceland and Japan are countries with the highest iodine intake, and their thyroid cancer rates are higher than in other countries.

3. Other thyroid diseases

There have been clinical reports of thyroid adenocarcinoma, chronic thyroiditis, nodular goiter, or certain toxic goiters becoming cancerous, but the relationship between these thyroid lesions and thyroid cancer is still difficult to confirm. Taking thyroid adenoma as an example, the vast majority of thyroid adenomas are follicular; if thyroid cancer is transformed from adenoma, the vast majority should be follicular. In fact, more than half of thyroid cancers are capitulum carcinomas. It is speculated that the incidence of thyroid adenoma malignancy is also very small.

The thyroid gland is a very important factor in our human body. It really requires me to spend time to understand it. After all, only the more we understand it, the better we can solve the problems related to it. The thyroid gland can be said to appear in many aspects of our lives. Understanding the symptoms of thyroid disease can help you better prevent it.