[Postparum thyroiditis]

Postpartum thyroiditis is one of the most common endocrinological disorders annually affecting millions of women world-wide. It is is defined as a syndrome of transient or permanent thyroid dysfunction occurring in the first year after delivery. A thyrotoxic phase of postpartum thyroiditis may be brief and unnoticed before a more long-lasting (permanent in up to 30%) hypothyroid phase occurs. The disease, found in approximately 5-10% of mothers in the general population, is an autoimmune disorder, and thyroid antibody-positive women in the first trimester have a 33% to 50% chance of developing thyroiditis in the postpartum period. Women suffering from other autoimmune conditions, or having a previous or family history of thyroid disease are at increased risk of its development. In this paper we present an overview of the pathogenesis, clinical aspects, diagnosis, and treatment options for postpartum thyroiditis with putting special emphasis on the results of recently published studies.