CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · AJP Rep
DOI: 10.1055/a-2317-9431
Case Report

FETAL HYPERTHYROIDISM SECONDARY TO MATERNAL BASEDOW-GRAVES DISEASE

1   Pediatric Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
2   Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile (Ringgold ID: RIN28056)
,
Bunio Weissglas
3   School of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile (Ringgold ID: RIN28056)
1   Pediatric Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
,
3   School of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile (Ringgold ID: RIN28056)
1   Pediatric Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
,
María Paz Del Solar
4   Department of Clinical and Preclinical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepcion, Chile (Ringgold ID: RIN28045)
,
Carolina Peña-Villa
3   School of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile (Ringgold ID: RIN28056)
5   Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
,
Ximena Flores
3   School of Medicine, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile (Ringgold ID: RIN28056)
6   Obstetrics and Gynecology Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
,
Mónica Arancibia
1   Pediatric Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
,
Laura Campos
1   Pediatric Service, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile
› Author Affiliations

Fetal hyperthyroidism is a rare prenatal disease and can be life-threatening. The diagnosis is based on ultrasound in mothers with history of Basedow-Graves and elevation of TRAbs levels. The treatment consists of antithyroid drugs. We present a mother with Basedow-Graves disease, treated with radioactive iodine 16 years ago. She had an unplanned pregnancy at age 29 years, and an elevation of TRAbs (21 U/L) was found at the sixth week of pregnancy. At 22 weeks of gestation, fetal ultrasound displayed tachycardia, goiter, exophthalmos and suspicion of craniosynostosis, hence methimazole was started. Concomitantly, suppressed maternal TSH was found. Her daughter was born at 33 + 6 weeks showing clinical and laboratory findings of hyperthyroidism. Consequently, treatment with methimazole was prescribed. Normal thyroid function was documented in the mother after giving birth. Clear explanation has not been found for the alteration of maternal TSH during pregnancy.



Publication History

Received: 12 October 2022

Accepted after revision: 10 April 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
02 May 2024

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