Update on therapeutic use of levothyroxine for the management of hypothyroidism during pregnancy

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is a relatively common finding during pregnancy. This may be due either to the presence of existing thyroid disease and/or to the increased demands that pregnancy places the thyroid gland to provide thyroid hormones for the mother and the developing foetus. There is no doubt that overt hypothyroidism is associated strongly with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage. Meta-analyses show that thyroid hormone replacement with levothyroxine (LT4) reduces the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the setting of overt hypothyroidism. Accordingly, management guidelines in this area are unanimous in recommending intervention with to control the level of thyrotropin (TSH) to below 2.5 μIU/mL. The evidence for an adverse impact of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) on pregnancy outcomes are less clear, although meta-analyses suggest that SCH reduces the chance of a successful pregnancy outcome. Guidelines also support intervention for some patients with SCH, particularly where TSH is high (>10 μIU/mL), or where TSH is above its trimester-specific reference range in a woman with thyroid autoimmunity (giving LT4 to euthyroid women with thyroid autoimmunity is not supported). Real world evidence suggests that hypothyroidism in pregnancy is often overlooked, or that LT4 is not given appropriately to gain tight control of TSH. More research is needed to identify the barriers to optimal thyroid care with LT4 at this crucial time.