Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy: Diagnosis and treatment

Hyperthyroidism due to autoimmune Graves' disease is the leading cause of t hyrotoxicosis in pregnant women. The peak incidence of the disease is in th e second through the fourth decade of life, which encompasses the reproduct ive years for women. Although menstrual irregularity is frequent in women w ith mild to moderate hyperthyroidism, convincing evidence that fertility is impaired is lacking. In general, 2 of every 1000 pregnancies have been rep orted to be complicated by hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism associated with pregnancy may pose a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. The c urrent review focuses on the discussion of symptomatology and diagnosis of the disease, on therapeutic options available to women presenting with hype rthyroidism during gestation, and on the controversy surrounding maternal a nd fetal outcome in pregnancies complicated by thyrotoxicosis.