Pregnant with Graves'? What you need to know
While pregnancy is often an exciting time, for those with Graves’ disease, it can also be challenging.
The autoimmune thyroid disease can not only affect your health, but also your baby’s. That’s why it’s important to be informed and armed with tips to help you manage your condition.
How does Graves’ affect pregnancy?
Falling pregnant with Graves’ can be difficult enough – but even once pregnant, it can still cause issues!
The biggest concern is the potential of your Graves’ antibodies crossing the placental barrier and affecting your baby’s thyroid function. Because yes, your little one has a functioning thyroid – it finishes developing around week 12, and will start to produce hormones by week 16.
This is why you need to be monitored for the duration of your pregnancy. In some cases, anti-thyroid medication may be needed to protect against the effects of Graves’. Even if your doctor has taken you off anti-thyroid medication due to your pregnancy, there is a risk of rebound hyperthyroidism. If this occurs, they may put you back onto your medication.
Top tips for a healthy pregnancy with Graves’ disease
Get your levels checked regularly
As we touched on above, monitoring is key – it allows you to take action if your levels aren’t ideal. This includes a thyroid panel of TSH, T4 and T3, but also thyroid antibodies.
Your doctor will recommend frequency based on your case. But typically, your thyroid function will be checked every 4 weeks and your antibodies at least once per trimester, along with additional scans at key dates to monitor your baby’s thyroid, heart rate and size.
If you are being treated with anti-thyroid drugs, you may need additional testing to monitor for side effects. For example, they are known to increase liver enzymes and in rare cases may lead to liver failure.
Put rest at the top of your list
You might be tempted to ‘power through’, even while pregnant. But this is a crucial time for you to prioritise rest – particularly if you find yourself more fatigued and stressed.
During pregnancy, the body is already undergoing massive changes in terms of structure, growth and hormone balance. And all of these can influence your immune system & thyroid function – so your Graves’ is vulnerable to flares.
Keep in mind that rest includes sleep, but also naps, daytime breaks and time for relaxation. If your Graves’ makes it difficult to get a good night of zzzs, I have some tips for you here.
Focus on nutrient-dense foods
This goes for any pregnancy, but it’s particularly important when managing your thyroid. Focus on 80% wholefoods that contain plenty of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Not sure which foods are helpful for your Graves’? I share my top picks here.
And don’t forget your key nutrients! Iron and vitamin D are two nutrients that I recommend optimising for anyone with an overactive thyroid.
Low selenium levels can also be a problem in Graves’ disease, so you may need to supplement or increase dietary intake if your levels aren’t optimal. Plus selenium supplementation has been found to enhance anti-thyroid drugs.
Consider carb restriction
Now I’m not talking about going ultra-low carb or keto, particularly during pregnancy! But we do know that excess carbohydrates can increase thyroid hormone levels – which is the opposite of what we’re aiming for!
So keep your refined sugars and processed carbs on the low side. Instead, reach for fibre and nutrient-rich options such as fruit and vegetables as your primary carb sources. If you’re unsure how to safely approach carbohydrate reduction during pregnancy, your best bet is to work with an experienced nutritionist or naturopath.
THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS
When you receive a thyroid disease diagnosis, there’s a good chance you’ll feel overwhelmed and powerless. It could even be that you’re not clear on what’s driving it or where it came from!
But even if you’re still uncovering the cause, it doesn’t mean you need to suffer the symptoms forever! Your daily habits can make a massive difference – all you need to do is learn about your condition and empower yourself.