Description of thyroid disorders the year before conception: a population-based study.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Reproductive Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Thyroid disorders are common and can impact pregnancy outcomes.
• Effective management of thyroid conditions before conception is vital for maternal and fetal well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of previously diagnosed thyroid disorders and hypothyroidism monitoring in women prior to pregnancy.
• To evaluate the adequacy of thyroid monitoring in women with known thyroid conditions before conception.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed data from 120,763 pregnancies in Catalonia, Spain (2014-2016).
• Thyroid disorder diagnosis was based on diagnostic codes or medication use (levothyroxine, antithyroid drugs).
• Thyroid function tests (TSH, FT4) and antibody records were collected and categorized.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of recorded thyroid disorders was 5.09% for hypothyroidism and 0.64% for hyperthyroidism, increasing with age.
• Approximately 40% of women with known thyroid disorders did not undergo thyroid monitoring in the year before pregnancy.
• Among monitored women with hypothyroidism, 31.75% had abnormal TSH levels; 3.12% of previously undiagnosed women had elevated TSH.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of Catalan women with known thyroid disorders received inadequate monitoring before pregnancy.
• Among monitored women, a substantial percentage exhibited thyroid dysfunction (abnormal TSH levels).
• Pre-pregnancy evaluation of women with thyroid disorders is essential for optimizing reproductive health outcomes.