OBJECTIVE: To evaluate thyroid function and the prevalence of thyroid peroxidase ( @entity5787 ) antibody and @entity792 in African-American and white @entity1 during pregnancy and the postpartum period. METHODS: Five hundred eighty-nine @entity1 were evaluated prospectively. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free @entity1955 (T4), and @entity5787 , Ro, and La antibodies were obtained during pregnancy, at delivery, and postpartum. Levels of hCG were determined during pregnancy. Urinary @entity1496 levels were evaluated in the third trimester in another group of @entity1 . All @entity5787 antibody-positive @entity1 were to be followed up at 3 and 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: African-American @entity1 had lower TSH values than white @entity1 at all times. Thyroid-stimulating hormone increased, and free T4 decreased from the first to third trimester of pregnancy for both groups. African Americans had higher hCG levels than whites in the first trimester but not in the third trimester. There was no difference in urine @entity1496 excretion between African-American and white @entity1 . Finally, there was no difference in @entity5787 antibody seropositivity between African-American and white @entity1 . Overall, 5 @entity1 (0.8%) were diagnosed with @entity1375 during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Fluctuations in TSH and free T4 during pregnancy parallel reported obstetric values. African Americans demonstrated consistently lower TSH levels than whites. These differences were unexplained by racial differences in either @entity5787 antibody seropositivity, @entity1496 status, or chorionic gonadotropin levels.

Racial comparisons of thyroid function and XXXX during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'patients'] @entity1375 :: ('MESH:D007037', 'Disease') :: ['subclinical hypothyroidism'] @entity1496 :: ('MESH:D007455', 'Chemical') :: ['iodine'] @entity5787 :: ('7173', 'Gene') :: ['TPO'] @entity1955 :: ('MESH:D013974', 'Chemical') :: ['thyroxine'] @entity792 :: ('MESH:D001327', 'Disease') :: ['autoimmunity']
@entity792 :: (MESH:D001327,Disease) :: ['autoimmunity']
