Use of thyroid hormones in relation to pregnancy: a Danish nationwide cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the rate of exposure of pregnant women to levothyroxine and to assess changes in these rates before, during and after pregnancy.


METHODS
Register-based cohort study.


METHODS
Danish nationwide registers.


METHODS
All women having a live birth in Denmark between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2010 (n = 912 342).


METHODS
All pregnant women in the study period were identified from the Danish Medical Birth Register. Exposed women were identified from the Danish National Prescription Register, based on redemption of levothyroxine prescriptions before, during or after pregnancy.


METHODS
The rate of pregnant women redeeming levothyroxine prescriptions and maternal characteristics.


RESULTS
We identified a fourfold increase in levothyroxine prescription redemption during the study period, from 0.34% in 1997 to 1.39% by 2010. A mean of 0.79% of our cohort received levothyroxine. Most of the women who were using levothyroxine before pregnancy continued the therapy during their pregnancy, but 9.4% stopped redeeming their prescriptions. Overall, 0.28% of our cohort received a levothyroxine prescription for the first time within 9 months after pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Fewer women than expected received levothyroxine treatment during pregnancy even though a fourfold increase was observed during the study period. Furthermore, one of 10 discontinued treatments during pregnancy. These findings all indicate that too few women are treated for hypothyroidism during pregnancy. Further research is needed to determine whether hypothyroid pregnant women are suboptimally treated and the possible consequences for the mother and fetus.
Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Karin
K
Gidén
Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jon Traerup
JT
Andersen
Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Arendse Laerke
AL
Torp-Pedersen
Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Henrik
H
Enghusen Poulsen
Institute of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
Christian
C
Torp-Pedersen
Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Espen
E
Jimenez-Solem
D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012042:Registries; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D013974:Thyroxine
Pregnancy; levothyroxine; pharmacoepidemiology; thyroid; thyroid hormones