Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2008) 16 P723

ECE2008 Poster Presentations Thyroid (146 abstracts)

Prevalence of antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and postpartum thyroiditis (PPT) in a cohort of 1700 pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)

Azriel Sharona 1 , Camaño Isabel 2 & García-Burguillo Antonio 2


1Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; 2Department of Obstetrics, Madrid, Spain.


The prevalence of antithyroid autoantibodies in pregnant women ranges between 6 and 10%, like in the general population. PPT, a syndrome of transient or permanent thyroid dysfunction occurring in the first year after delivery, is associated with the presence of TPO in gestation. The prevalence varies from 5 to 10%, with higher frequency in patients with DM1. The aim of this study is to estimate TPO frequency during gestation and its relationship with PPT in a group of women with GDM.

Methods: GDM was diagnosed in a cohort of 1700 pregnant women (mean age 32.7±6.5 years; mean gestational week: 26.2±5.1), excluded patients with previous thyroid dysfunction. In 1053 patients (60.3%) a follow-up of thyroid function after delivery was performed (3.5±3.3 months).

Results: The 22.7% of the patients were TPO positive (>11.9 U/ml). A clear association between the presence of TPO and recurrent pregnancy loss (≥3 miscarriages) was found (RR: 2.41; CI 95%: 1.17–4.97). The prevalence of hypothyroxinemia in the cohort was 5.1%, regardless of autoantibodies levels. Positive TPO frequency postpartum was 39.9%. Women with positive TPO during pregnancy had a greater risk to maintain a positive titer in postpartum (RR: 2.63; CI 95%: 2.30–3.01). The PPT prevalence in pregnant with positive TPO during gestation was higher (RR: 3.76; CI95%: 2.61–5.42).

Conclusions: Considering the high prevalence of positive TPO in women with GDM and the increased risk of developing PPT in this group, a screening of thyroid function during pregnancy and a postpartum follow-up is recommended in this women. There is a significant association between the presence of thyroid autoimmunity and a higher miscarriage rate.

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