The latest “Epidemiological Survey of Thyroid Diseases in Ten Cities in China” shows that the prevalence of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and thyroid nodules in ten cities in China is 3.7%, 6.5% and 18.6%. Thyroid diseases mainly include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer and so on. In the past 10 years, the incidence of thyroid cancer in China has increased 3 times.
A Women around 40 years old are the high incidence group
The increasing number of patients with thyroid disease is related to the increasing mental tension, increased environmental radiation, and dietary deficiency or high iodine.
In the past, early thyroid disease was not well diagnosed, but nowadays, high-definition ultrasound detection methods can help doctors to detect thyroid disease in patients much earlier. There is now an 87 percent increase in cancers smaller than 2 centimeters, including a 49 percent increase in cancers smaller than 1 centimeter, while smaller thyroid cancers used to have a relatively low detection rate.
”The thyroid itself is an endocrine gland, and there is a definite correlation between the significant endocrine changes that occur in women during pregnancy.” According to the report, except for the incidence of abnormal thyroid function without any obvious population distinction, other common thyroid diseases such as thyroiditis, thyroid nodules, secondary hypothyroidism, etc., the incidence rate of women is three times higher than that of men, and especially women around 40 years old are the high incidence group.
In addition, the incidence of thyroid cancer in women has been increasing in recent years. Some data show that before 2000, thyroid cancer was not among the top 20 malignant tumors in women, but in 2010, thyroid cancer has jumped to the sixth place among female malignant tumors.
B. Women’s thyroid gland has a more important task during pregnancy
At present, the prevalence of hypothyroidism during pregnancy in China is high, but the diagnosis and treatment rates are low. The prevalence of clinical hypothyroidism in the first half of pregnancy is 0.6%, the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism is 5.3%, and the prevalence of low T4 blood is 2.2%. In recent years, clinical studies at home and abroad have proved that if a pregnant woman suffers from different types of hypothyroidism, her miscarriage and pregnancy complications will increase significantly, and the percentage of birth defects in babies born to hypothyroid mothers is about 18%, such as brain, kidney, heart defects and cleft lip and palate.
For those women who have potential subclinical hypothyroidism before pregnancy, the thyroid gland is already at full capacity when they are not pregnant, so they are prone to problems during pregnancy, and need to pay special attention to thyroid function tests before and during pregnancy.
C Early detection has a good prognosis
In recent years, more and more interventions have been made in China on various factors affecting eugenics, such as gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes, but not enough attention has been paid to thyroid disorders during pregnancy.
Experts suggest that women of childbearing age should pay attention to thyroid health and go to the endocrinology department or related departments of regular hospitals to have their thyroid function tested before pregnancy. If you are suffering from “hypothyroidism”, you should get your thyroid function up to standard through treatment before conceiving your next child.
Many causes of thyroid disease are unclear and prevention lacks specificity, but the key is early detection and early treatment.
One, do a routine thyroid examination every year to detect thyroid function and thyroid hormone levels.
Second, get an ultrasound to check for thyroid nodules, enlarged thyroid gland or other thyroid lesions.
Third, adjust the mood, adjust the environment, adjust the work and rest. Avoid mental tension and pay attention to mental relaxation. Eat less iodine-containing seafood, such as kelp and nori. Also, foods that stimulate thyroid nodules should be eaten sparingly, such as cauliflower, cabbage, white radish, walnuts, etc. If a thyroid nodule is found to be more than one centimeter during a routine physical examination, you need to go to a regular hospital for a puncture pathology examination to rule out the possibility of cancer.
Many thyroid diseases do not show signs of malignancy such as abnormal thyroid function or lesions, and will be stable for a long time, as long as they are observed and do not require excessive treatment.
Reminder
Hypothyroidism symptoms are not typical
At present, China has not included thyroid screening in the national norms for perinatal health care. Experts recommend that in the early stages of pregnancy, it is best to actively screen thyroid function before 8 weeks of gestation for women, especially those with risk factors for thyroid disease.
Abnormalities in thyroid function can directly affect the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus, whether hypo- or hyperthyroidism with low metabolism. Therefore, once abnormal thyroid function is detected during pregnancy, whether hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, it is important to treat it. As long as thyroid hormone levels are adjusted to the normal range, we can ensure a healthy fetus and safely survive the pregnancy.
Hyperthyroidism is specific, with protruding eyes, fast heart rate and high metabolism, and is easier to detect, while hypothyroidism has atypical and non-specific symptoms, making it difficult to detect early. The main symptoms of hypothyroidism in pregnancy include lack of energy, lethargy, weight gain, fear of cold, constipation and memory loss. These symptoms are easily confused with pregnancy reactions and can be overlooked.