Q: Hello doc. Good day. Please doctor can you talk about low thyroid in pregnancy and the causes and the remedy, please. God bless you Doc.

A: In hypothyroidism, the body does not produce enough of the thyroid hormones due to an underactive thyroid gland. The symptoms include tiredness, weight gain, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold, depression etc

Causes of hypothyroidism include autoimmune diseases (when the body turns on itself, producing antibodies that attack and destroy the thyroid gland), inadequate iodine in the diet, radiation therapy to the neck, thyroid surgery (in which some or all of the thyroid is removed) etc. Other factors associated with this condition include pregnancy, certain drugs etc Risk factors for hypothyroidism include white race, growing older, having prematurely graying hair etc.

The major issue causing the symptoms is the lack of thyroid hormones and so treatment is targeted at that. Synthetic thyroid hormones will be prescribed to help combat these. Effects on fatigue may be observed as early as two weeks after treatment is started.

So, please see your doctor for a proper examination and he/she will make a diagnosis after which a course of action will be determined.

Have a good night, everyone 😀