Maternal and perinatal outcome in antenatal women with hypothyroidism

Background: Maternal hypothyroidism is common disorder of thyroid function in pregnancy and has been associated with miscarriage, foetal loss, preeclampsia, preterm labour, placental abruption, foetal distress, etc. Aim and objectives: To know the incidence of hypothyroidism in antenatal women, to screen 1000 antenatal women attending the antenatal OP in Government Victoria Hospital from January 2015 to December 2015, to know the obstetric outcome of pregnant women suffering from hypothyroidism. Materials and methods: A random prospective study was conducted in a total of 1000 pregnant women in the first trimester of any gravid status and parity attending the OPD unit in Government Victoria Hospital, Visakhapatnam from January 2015 to December 2015. Inclusion criteria were antenatal women with <12 weeks gestation, singleton pregnancies only and either primigravida or multigravida. Results: Out of the 1000 women screened 68 antenatal women were found to have hypothyroidism. Rate of incidence of hypothyroidism is 6.8/100 women. Subclinical hypothyroidism is seen in 51 women and overt hypothyroidism is seen in 17 women. Incidence of maternal complications in subclinical hypothyroidism- miscarriages-5.88%, preterm labour- 11.76%, preeclampsia- 17.64%, IUD- 1.96%. Incidence of foetal complications in subclinical hypothyroidism was IUGR-9.8%, LBW- 7.84%, foetal distress- 3.92%, stillbirth- 1.96%. Incidence of maternal complications in overt hypothyroidism- miscarriages- 17.64%, preterm labour- 11.76%, preeclampsia- 29.41%, APH- 11.76%, IUD-5.88%. Incidence of foetal complications in overt hypothyroidism was IUGR-17.6%, LBW- 11.76%, foetal distress- 11.76%, stillbirth- 5.88%. Conclusion: Incidence of hypothyroidism (6.8%) is more in pregnancy. Maternal and perinatal complications are more with overt hypothyroid cases, emphasizing the need for routine screening for thyroid in early pregnancy.