Care of the pregnant thyroid cancer patient

Thyroid cancer is the fastest rising type of cancer among women in North America. Care of the pregnant patient with thyroid cancer is, therefore, of concern to obstetricians, internists and endocrine specialists. Guidelines for the care of the pregnant patient with thyroid disease were released by the Endocrine Society in late 2007, and a symposium on thyroid dysfunction and pregnancy was hosted by the American Thyroid Association in April 2009. With this increasing interest in thyroid disease and pregnancy, a variety of important studies have been published recently.

In addition to guidelines published by the Endocrine Society, recent research has focused on detection and management of hypothyroidism in pregnancy, and consequences of hypothyroidism for the fetus and child. Impact of radioactive iodine therapy on subsequent fertility has been described. The risk of adverse outcomes due to thyroid surgery during pregnancy was evaluated in analysis of a large inpatient database.

Identification of hypothyroidism during pregnancy continues to be challenging due to the need for well established trimester-specific normal ranges. Physicians may reassure patients about the effects of radioactive iodine therapy on fertility, although men may wish to cryopreserve sperm prior to treatment. Thyroid surgery during pregnancy was associated with a two-fold increased risk of surgical complications.