Thyroid Drugs in Pregnancy

Pregnancy places some limits on the treatments which a woman can receive for hyperthyroidism , because a doctor must also look out for the safety of your child. A common treatment for hyperthyroidism is radioactive iodine , but it must be avoided by women who are pregnant or nursing a baby as it may cause hypothyroidism in the baby.
Surgery to remove a goiter or cancer may also be delayed until after the pregnancy.
However, needle aspiration biopsy of a thyroid nodule may be safely done during pregnancy.
Treatments which may be used for thyroid disease during pregnancy include:

• Antithyroid drugs , which block the production of thyroid hormone
• Thyroid hormone pills , which provide the body with the right amount of thyroid hormone when the gland is not able to produce enough by itself.

The information in this page is presented in summarised form and has been taken from the following source(s):
1. The Thyroid Society