Thyroid disorders are among the most common endocrine disorders.
They include underactive thyroid, overactive thyroid, benign nodules, inflammations of the thyroid and malignant cancers. Approximately 12 million Americans are affected by thyroid disease. Thyroid diseases occur at least five times more often in women than in men, with hypothyroidism affecting approximately 10 percent of all women over age 65. One autoimmune thyroid disease, called post-partum thyroiditis, is common after delivery, occurring in about 6 percent of all pregnancies. Its early symptoms include nervousness, weight loss, diarrhea, and palpitations and are followed a few months later by weight gain, dry skin, constipation, and fatigue.