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Study indicates link between preeclampsia and thyroid function
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 21, 2009
Women who experience preeclampsia may have an increased risk for reduced thyroid functioning later in life, according to a study in the November BMJ (link).
The analysis combined two separate studies. The first study found that women who developed preeclampsia were more likely to have slightly reduced thyroid functioning during their last weeks of pregnancy.
The second study indicated that women who had preeclampsia while pregnant were more likely to have reduced thyroid functioning more than 20 years after they gave birth than were women who did not have the pregnancy complication.
The authors urged physicians treating women with a history of preeclampsia to be aware that these patients may be at increased risk for reduced thyroid functioning.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/12/21/prbf1221.htm.
