Dr. Nandita Thakkar

The thyroid gland within the body plays an important role in regulating your metabolism among many other functions. This is a butterfly-shaped gland located in your neck and plays an important role within your body. However, a common condition that may afflict it is hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland. It is even more of a problem if you are pregnant as it may affect your baby’s development in the womb. It has also been noticed that pregnancy in itself may cause hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism-

Pregnant women may also exhibit symptoms common to other patients who are suffering from hypothyroidism. These may include:

1. Fatigue along with lethargy.

2. Mild to significant weight gain.

3. Constipation.

4. Feeling cold with severe chills

The thyroid gland produces the T4 hormone responsible for regulating many mechanisms within the body such as metabolism. With hypothyroidism, the production of this hormone decreases or stops altogether. This is important as disruption in the production of the hormone may disrupt the normal development of your baby.

Effects of Hypothyroidism on your baby-

Hypothyroidism during pregnancy can affect your child’s developmental abilities. Many studies in this field have shown that such children tend to have learning difficulties and may even display lower IQ scores during tests. It was noticed that sometimes, hypothyroidism during pregnancy wasn’t diagnosed correctly as the pregnant mother did not show much apparent symptoms. This is also a major issue in the early diagnosis of the problem. Hence, it is absolutely imperative to test for thyroid problems early during pregnancy.

Prevention is the Best Cure-

It is thus very important that mothers be screened properly for thyroid issues even before they are pregnant and while they are pregnant. Some of the medically recommended steps that should be taken are –

1. Screening before pregnancy as this can help to devise a solution for this condition.

2. Women with goiter or enlarged thyroid should most certainly be screened.

3. Women with a family history of hypothyroidism should be screened.

Treatments for Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy-

The doctors may suggest thyroid hormone replacement therapy wherein artificial T4 hormone is introduced into the body. This helps to maintain a constant rate of the thyroid hormone within the body. This can be done even before pregnancy as the developing fetus is completely dependent on the mother for its thyroid hormone until at least 12 weeks when the baby’s body can start producing it on its own. Also, the levels of this hormone should be regularly checked within the body through the TSH or the thyroid stimulating hormone tests to ensure that the levels are at a safe minimum. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Giving birth to a baby is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful experience in a woman's life. It makes them feel complete as an individual and also strengthens their relationship with their spouse. But unfortunately, all couples cannot conceive in a natural way. But there is nothing to feel sad about as with the advancement in medical technology, one can avail the high-tech fertility treatments to fulfill their dream of holding their baby in their lap. In vitro fertilization often shortened as IVF is one of the most popular artificial reproductive techniques that help to conceive. Basically, in this process eggs and ovary are combined in the laboratory.

How is IVF helpful?
IVF has emerged as a hope for all those couples who have been trying to have a baby for years. It helps the woman to get pregnant if she is suffering from a problem associated with egg quality, ovulation, endometriosis or blockage of fallopian tube. It is also helpful in case your partner has a problem with sperm mortality or sperm count.

Side effects and risks associated with IVF Treatment: According to the current evidence, there are no serious side effects associated with in vitro fertility treatment. The medicines which are used for inducing the process of superovulation involved in IVF and other fertility treatments are also used in various other forms of fertility treatments. IVF was discovered some 30 years back. It has proven itself as one of the safest processes that come up with no long-term risk to the mother or the baby. Ovulation Hyperstimulation Syndrome happens to one percent of women out of all who opt for this treatment for conceiving a baby.

The specialists who are experienced are better at predicting that which woman is at a risk of OHSS. The expert medical professionals are trained for recognizing and managing symptoms.

This treatment might also cause potential complications to the baby like premature delivery or low birth weight, which increases the risk of birth defects or even death of the neonate. It is always recommended to consult an expert physician to get a better idea about the treatment and its associated pros and cons. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an IVF Specialist.

Terms like ileostomy and colostomy really sound a bit too scientific, don’t they? Well, it is true that may seem to be pretty scary to almost anybody who is not professionally familiar with them! That being said, it is quite important to know what these things are, as it is always good to be informed of things like these. After all, one never knows when he or she may need to consider the possibility of having one.

The similarity which exists between these two procedures is due to the fact that both of them require the surgeon to cut an opening into the intestine from the skin of the abdominal wall. To be more specific about each of the procedures, the ileostomy involves the removal of the entire colon as well as the rectum of the person who is undergoing it. When this operation is performed, the small intestine’s end is adapted so as to expel the faeces which are produced as a result of the digestive process.

Now, this does seem like quite a daunting prospect, does it not? Well, it does and with good reason as it is really not a small matter, at all. That is why the surgery is performed on people who suffer from diseases such as Crohn's disease, who have a condition in which entire sections of their gut cannot be linked in a proper manner!

On the other hand, a colostomy refers to a follow-up surgery to a colectomy, in which the surgeon creates an opening which is known as a stoma. A colectomy is when there is a removal of a part of the large intestine. In many cases of colostomies being performed, they are intended to be temporary in nature.

Now, taking into account just how serious these operations are, a person may wonder just what unfortunate thing needs to happen to warrant a surgery of this sort to be performed! Well, essentially, if there is an occurrence of bowel cancer which is significantly bad, then there may be a need which arises as a result of the same.

Advanced medicines do have some interesting facts; contrary to what most people think, a stoma does not hurt. This is because there are no nerves in the area! While a person may hopefully never need either surgery performed on oneself, that surely does not mean that awareness about them should not be widespread.