Post partum thyroiditis in Saudi women

East Afr Med J. 1993 Sep;70(9):556-7.

Abstract

Two hundred and seventy seven Saudi women were prospectively evaluated post-partum to determine the frequency of post-partum thyroiditis. Four to six weeks after delivery, 12 (4.3%) had positive antimicrosomal antibodies and 8 (2.9%) had positive antithyroglobulin antibodies. At 6-8 weeks post-partum, out of 82 subjects followed up, 4 (4.9%) had positive antimicrosoMal antibodies and 1 (1.2%) had positive antithyroglobulin antibodies. At 8-12 weeks post-partum, out of 70 subjects, antimicrosomal antibodies were detected in 5 (3.5%) subjects and antithyroglobulin in 2 (1.4%). Their routine thyroid function tests (T3, T4, and TSH) remained within the normal range. There was no clinical evidence of hyper- or hypothyroidism in any of the patients during the follow up. Post-partum thyroiditis, appears to be relatively uncommon in Saudi Arabia. It does not produce any clinical illness or cause significant subclinical thyroid dysfunction.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / blood
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Iodide Peroxidase
  • Iron-Binding Proteins*
  • Mass Screening
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Puerperal Disorders / blood
  • Puerperal Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Puerperal Disorders / prevention & control
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Thyroglobulin / immunology
  • Thyroid Function Tests
  • Thyroiditis / blood
  • Thyroiditis / epidemiology*
  • Thyroiditis / prevention & control
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
  • Autoantigens
  • Iron-Binding Proteins
  • Thyroglobulin
  • TPO protein, human
  • Iodide Peroxidase