Interpretation of thyroid function tests during pregnancy

Abstract

Thyroid hormones are crucial for normal pregnancy and fetal development. Large physiological changes occur during pregnancy, posing challenges for the correct interpretation of thyroid function tests. TSH concentrations are the principal first test to rule out thyroid disease taking into account trimester-specific reference ranges. Free T4 (FT4) measurements by immuno-assays may be subject to interference by endogenous and exogenous factors. The relevance of measuring free T3 (FT3) during pregnancy is unclear. Thyroid autoimmunity is well-reflected by the presence of antibodies against TPO. TPO-antibody positivity is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Keywords: FT4; TPO-antibodies; TSH; pregnancy; thyroid function tests; thyroid hormone.