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WS02‐05Serial in‐utero ultrasonographic measurements of the fetal thyroid: a new complementary tool in the management of maternal hyperthyroidism in pregnancy
Author(s) -
Achiron R.,
Sivan E.,
Dolizki M.,
Lipitz S.,
Cohen O.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2000.00009-1-14.x
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , thyroid , pregnancy , in utero , gestation , obstetrics , gestational age , endocrinology , gynecology , genetics , biology
Objective Treatment of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy is complicated by the lack of readily available measures of the fetal thyroid status. Both hyper‐ and hypo‐thyroidism of the fetus may have short and long‐term detrimental effects and thus should be avoided. We therefore followed the fetal thyroidal size during treatment of maternal thyroid disorders and correlated the data with treatment and thyroidal status in the mother. Methods During 24‐month period 20 patients with thyroid disorders were referred for serial fetal thyroid measurements. Thyroid size was measured by transvaginal ultrasonography between 14 and 17 weeks' of gestation and by abdominal ultrasonography between 18 and 38 weeks' gestation. Results In five women with Grave's diseases correlation between thionamide dosage and fetal thyroid size were noted. Two fetuses had an increase in the size of thyroid gland above the upper 95% confidence interval, one of them developed neonatal Grave's of which it was the only prenatal sign of fetal thyroid abnormalities. In all other three fetuses changes inthyroidal size aided in determining the dosage of the antithyroidal drugs. Conclusions Inutero ultrasonographic measurements of the fetal thyroid size can be used as a noninvasive tool for the proper management of maternal hyperthyroidism.