What Do These T4 And T3 Levels Indicate?

Posted on Tue, 16 Dec 2014

Question: Respected Doctor,

My wife is 30 years, had been suffering from Thyroid since 1 year back.
She has regularly been taking 50mg of Altroxin for the Since 1 and half year.
She conceived in the month of August 2014 and
now its her 13th week. At the time of conception she had
found her all thyroid levels normal in the tests on her 1st visit to the Gaeyne Doctor.

Now, in this 13th week, she got her T3 at 2.01 while the XXXXXXX higher reference given is 1.81
and
T4 at 17.70 while the XXXXXXX higher reference given in 12.20.

Kindly provide your immediate expertise opinion
- for the treatment thereof.
- Please explain the diet to be preferred
and
PRECAUTIONS please..

Thanks & Regards,

Answered by Dr. Ajish TP (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Continue same medication after consulting a doctor

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have gone through your question and understand your concerns.

Please share with us your wife's TSH values.

The T3 and T4 values of your wife are absolutely normal for her gestation. The normal values of T3 & T4 is different in pregnancy. Roughly it is 1 1/2 times the normal adult non pregnant value. So the upper limit of T3 will be 2.7 and T4 will be 18.3. So your wife's T3,T4 is absolutely normal and no need to worry. You can continue with same dose.

If you are interested in the medical explanation of this increased values I'll explain. A protein called thyroid binding globulin (TBG) is increased in pregnancy due to increased estrogen release from placenta. T3 and T 4 is this TBG bound thyroid hormone. So when TBG increases T3 &T4 also will increase.

Please let us know the TSH values. It should be less than 2.5 in first trimester and less than 3 in rest of pregnancy.

No much dietary precaution is needed auto immune hypothyroidism in pregnancy. Use iodised salt, take enough sea foods if you are a non vegetarian, less of cabbage and cauliflower if you are having iodine deficiency hypothyroidism.

Hope I have answered your questions. If you have any further queries I will be happy to help you

Regards,

Dr Ajish TP [MD,DM]
Consultant Endocrinologist

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari