Is hyperthyroidism underestimated in pregnancy and misdiagnosed as hyperemesis gravidarum?

Abstract

Thyroid changes are considered to be normal events that happen as a large maternal multiorganic adjustment to pregnancy. However, hyperthyroidism occurs in pregnancy with clinical presentation similar to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and pregnancy itself. Moreover, 10% of women with HG will continue to have symptoms throughout the pregnancy suggesting that the underlying cause might not be elevation of human chorionic gonadotropin in the first trimester. Variable frequency of both hyperthyroidism and HG worldwide might suggest the puzzlement of inclusion criteria for both diagnoses enhanced by the alternation of thyroid hormone levels assessed in normal pregnancy. Increased number of hyperthyroidism among women population without the expected rise in gestational hyperthyroidism encouraged us for creating the hypotheses that hyperthyroidism could be underestimated in normal pregnancy and even misdiagnosed as HG. This hypothesis, if confirmed, might have beneficial clinical implications, such as better detection of hyperthyroidism in pregnancies, application of therapy when needed with the reduction of maternal or fetal consequences.