Recognizing, understanding, and treating postpartum thyroiditis

Postpartum thyroiditis is the most common endocrinologic disorder, with an incidence that varies geographically from 5% to 10%. It has important clini cal sequelae including symptoms of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and dep ression. Long-term follow-up of women who experience postpartum thyroiditis reveals a high recurrence rate in subsequent pregnancies. Postpartum thyro iditis is an autoimmune disorder, and thyroid antibody-positive women in th e first trimester have a 33% to 50% chance of developing thyroiditis in the postpartum period. Whether or not to screen for postpartum thyroiditis rem ains controversial.