How spacing out pregnancies can protect your thyroid
Did you know that spacing out your pregnancies is the best thing not only for your general health, but also your thyroid? Let’s look at why you want to have a good break between pregnancies and how pregnancy and post-partum can affect thyroid function.
Why it’s best for your thyroid to space out your pregnancies
Your body needs time to recover
Pregnancy is an intense period of time for the human body, as is breastfeeding. It takes many months for the body to heal, particularly if you are breastfeeding your baby.
You may also need additional time to recover mentally and get support if you experienced any issues with post-partum depression.
That’s why I recommend at least 12 months between cessation of breastfeeding and falling pregnant again.
You need to replenish nutrient stores
One of the most important reasons to space out pregnancies is to allow for replenishment of nutrient stores. This is also why it’s best to wait 12 months after cessation of breastfeeding - as breastfeeding takes a lot of nutrients out of your body!
You want to make sure you have time to build up your nutrient stores again. Otherwise, you could be at risk of pregnancy complications. Focus on getting plenty of:
Iodine
Zinc
Selenium
Iron
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D
Supplementation may be needed, particularly if you are breastfeeding or have depleted levels of these nutrients.
Your thyroid works twice as hard for your entire pregnancy
Although a baby’s thyroid develops around the 12-week mark, your thyroid is in charge until well into the 3rd trimester. As a result, your thyroid is required to produce not only your own increased thyroid hormone needs, but also your baby’s needs.
If you don’t make time for your thyroid to recover from pregnancy, you run a higher risk of developing a thyroid condition during pregnancy or post-partum. This is also why it’s critical to build up nutrient stores - so your thyroid can work properly for the entire pregnancy.
Planning on breastfeeding, particularly for 6+ months? You need to make sure your thyroid gets that recovery time in as well. Thyroid dysfunction can sabotage your milk supply.
If you have underlying thyroid issues, you risk post-partum flares
Have you already been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, Graves’ or another thyroid disease? If so, your risk of post-partum flares is high - particularly if you don’t space out pregnancies.
Both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid flares can occur. Put simply, these flares are caused by the post-partum hormone rush. As a result, the thyroid becomes inflamed and either produces too much or too little thyroid hormone. This is known as post-partum thyroiditis.
Even if you haven’t been diagnosed, any underlying antibodies can put you at risk. In fact, if you already have thyroid antibodies present, you have up to a 50% chance of developing post-partum thyroiditis.
Pregnancy is a common trigger for thyroid disease
There are many potential triggers of thyroid disease, but one of the most common is pregnancy. As we just discussed, post-partum thyroiditis is a common side effect, with 10% of women experiencing it. But many women who experience post-partum thyroid issues will go on to develop permanent thyroid disease - with rates as high as 20-40%.
By taking steps to protect your thyroid and spacing out pregnancies, you can reduce your risk of developing thyroid disease such as Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease in the future.
What if I’m already pregnant again?
In this case, there are a few steps to take starting today:
Get your nutrient levels tested - this includes iodine, vitamin D, iron, B12 and zinc
Speak to a practitioner about getting high-quality supplements to correct any deficiencies
Focus on eating as many nutrient-dense wholefoods as possible
Make sure that if you have a thyroid condition, you’re also addressing your antibody levels (as we know thyroid antibodies are a huge risk!)
Be prepared for your recovery period to be longer and make sure you get your thyroid function checked post-partum