# Need help: info about TSH levels and Pregnancy?



## AngieG (Jul 5, 2010)

Hi everyone ~

I need help finding factual information about high TSH levels (hypothyroid), effects of treatment if any, and the actual effects high levels of TSH have on pregnancy.

My levels are now probably around 4.4 (originally 10.07, then 6.6 just 3 weeks ago), I'm nearly 11 weeks pregnant, and want to know - I feel I have a right to know - how much of an impairment this means for the unborn child...and what kinds of "developmental impairment" are we talking about?

My Drs aren't giving up any information. I think it's shoddy of them to scare me with this and then not give me any information about it. Are we talking, missing a hand, autism, retardation, two heads, what???

If you can help, or point me in the right direction I would be so grateful!! :confused0031: Thanks in advance!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

AngieG said:


> Hi everyone ~
> 
> I need help finding factual information about high TSH levels (hypothyroid), effects of treatment if any, and the actual effects high levels of TSH have on pregnancy.
> 
> ...


I was almost sure I provided you w/this link but perhaps not......

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter14/14-frame.htm

And this one...........

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter15/15-frame.htm


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## AngieG (Jul 5, 2010)

Thanks - looking through now!


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## noblez (Aug 26, 2009)

AngieG!
Congrats on your pregnancy!
I'm almost 10 weeks and I had undiagnosed hashimoto's until about 5.5 weeks into my pregnancy.

During my first ob appointment they did bloodwork and found my tsh to be 72. And then of course my t3, t4 etc were all very very low.

My husband and I panicked and went on the internet and googled hypothyroid and pregnancy.... ahhh, don't do this! (but you probably already have).

My endocrinologist suggested I go see a high risk prenatal doctor due to the untreated hashimoto's. I'm so thankful we (my husband and I) did.

What the doctor told us, was that first off, tsh has no effect on the baby. Your tsh can be high throughout the pregnancy but that its the t3, t4, etc levels that actually effect the baby. So hopefully your other levels have been in the normal range the whole time.

I of course had very low levels of everything else which was the concern. So I asked the high risk doc about cognitive issues.The doctor said that many newer, better studies have shown that mothers with hypothyroidism are at risk of having babies with slightly lowered IQs. He explained by what slightly lower meant. Maybe two points. Which he said is statistically lower, but its not anything the parents would notice and no it wouldn't really effect the child. I imagine I'd be pretty much the same if my IQ was two points lower.

SO, that info gave me a big sigh of relief. Apparently hypothyroidism isn't shown to cause autism or mental retardation.... just a slightly lower IQ.

Lastly, the high risk doc told me that because I began treatment with synthroid so early in the pregnancy that there are probably no negative effects on my pregnancy.

Going forward I have to have my blood tested every three weeks by the endo to make sure my thyroid levels stay in the normal range during my pregnancy and my meds can be adjusted accordingly.

I'm so sorry to hear you are having trouble getting answers. Honestly my first OB was the same way and that is why I moved to a new OB office. My endo was quite up on the subject and a good person to talk to but really, the high risk doctor has been the best source of information. I think he is officially called a doctor of "maternal and fetal medicine" in case you are interesting in finding one for yourself.

Best of luck to your baby!


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## AngieG (Jul 5, 2010)

Thank you Noblez, that does make me feel like I can breathe a sign of relief! I have been looking through test studies, and though research is something I can glean tons of info from (being a stats nerd), the use of terminology such as "significant impairment" is meant to catch the eyes of scanning peers rather than your average person. So, I was finding "significant impairment" of say 7 IQ points, and another said 2 standard deviations, which does mean serious retardation. However, what I did find so far was along the lines you said: T3 and T4 numbers with special consideration to Iodine Deficiency.

My OB openly admits he knows nothing about it and won't claim to, so I gotta at least respect him for that! haha! He really is a sweet fella, but not an aggressive doctor by any means.

Really though, thank you sooooo super much for your email. Today was an important day with lots of chromosomal testing and an ultrasound. Your timing couldn't be better for filling my heart with hope. *sniff!*hugs1


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