GUIDANCE TO THE MATERNAL, FETAL AND NEONATAL MANAGEMENT OF RESISTANCE GRAVE'S DISEASE IN PREGNANCY

Resistant Graves' disease in pregnancy is a rare entity. The clinical situation poses immense difficulty to the treating endocrinologist and obstetrician in optimizing maternal and fetal heath. No guidelines till date are available to manage resistant Grave's disease in pregnancy. We hereby present a case series on resistant Grave's in pregnancy and our institute experience in managing this rare and challenging clinical entity. Definitive management is total thyroidectomy in second trimester. Higher doses of ATDs and betablockers may have its fetopathic effects. Use of immunosuppressive agents are not advised in pregnancy to suppress the TRAb titre. Steroid therapy may be used as an adjuvant to permissible doses of anti-thyroid medications to curb the thyrotoxicosis in pregnancy. An alternate fetal friendly ATD is not available to add on to existing ATDs. TRAb estimation in maternal blood is mandatory. Mothers need frequent monitoring of cardiac status and need to avoid factors that can cause cardiac decompensation. Fetal surveillance includes growth monitoring and biophysical profile at nearby intervals, helps to ascertain the effects of excess thyroid hormones, TRAb and anti-thyroid drugs. Immediate neonatal cord blood screening for thyroid abnormalities is necessary. Maternal and fetal management in such a clinical situation is multidisciplinary.