Thyroid dysfunction following pregnancy and implications for breastfeeding

Subclinical autoimmune thyroiditis exacerbates after delivery through immune rebound mechanisms and results in 5 types of thyroid dysfunction. The prevalence of postpartum thyroid dysfunction is around 5% in mothers in the general population. Typically, an exacerbation induces destructive thyrotoxicosis followed by transient hypothyroidism, known as postpartum thyroiditis. Late development of permanent hypothyroidism is found frequently and patients should be followed up once every one to two years. Destructive thyrotoxicosis in postpartum thyroiditis should carefully be differentiated from post-partum Graves' disease. Postpartum thyroiditis typically occurs 1-4 months after parturition whereas Graves' disease develops at 4-12 months postpartum. Anti-TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb) are typically positive and thyroid blood flow is high in Graves' disease, whereas these features are absent in postpartum thyroiditis. Postpartum Graves' disease should be treated with antithyroid drugs.