"Can Thyroid Screening During Pregnancy Protect Your Baby?" - Kristen Fischer
Clinicians have debated the concept of universal thyroid testing in pregnant women for quite some time now. A recent analysis published in Frontier in Endocrinology presents the pros and cons of universal testing. The authors note that optimal thyroid hormone levels have been proven to maintain pregnancy and aid in fetus development. Terry Davies, MD, co-director of the Mount Sinai Thyroid Center at Mount Sinai Union Square, said that most doctors are conscientious and check thyroid function. “I support universal screening in view of how common thyroid dysfunction is in young women,” said Dr. Davies. He said that high-risk women should be screened, but simply being female boosts the risks of thyroid disease – a reason that he thinks all women should be tested. Dr. Davies noted that doctors shouldn’t wait until a woman becomes pregnant to screen her, either. “The right time is before getting pregnant,” he said.
— Terry F. Davies, MD, Professor, Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bones Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Co-Director, The Thyroid Center, Mount Sinai Union Square