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Universal thyroid screening can reduce risks, health costs
Health screenings for all people, rather than just groups with a high risk for hypothyroidism and other related diseases, may help reduce the financial burden caused by the disorders, experts have suggested.
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An illustration of a doctor holding a model thyroid gland. (Shutterstock/Jo Panuwat D)
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octors have urged medical authorities to push for more testing and treatment for hypothyroidism, especially for women and children, to further reduce serious consequences of the disease, which range from disability to death.
Screenings for hypothyroidism are crucial for adult populations such as women of childbearing age and pregnant mothers to know the risk of their babies being born with the disorder, said Indonesian Thyroid Association (InaTA) chair Tjokorda Gde Dalem Pemayun.
A woman with a history of the disease may cause her baby to be born prematurely or suffer from development issues, therefore the doctors would suggest that she not conceive until she receives treatment to stabilize her iodine levels. During the first few months of pregnancy, the fetus relies on the mother’s thyroid hormones for the development of the brain and nervous system.
“Untreated thyroid problems can lead to serious complications for both the mother and baby. Hence, women also need to undergo a hypothyroidism screening before they become pregnant,” said metabolic endocrinologist Tjokorda.
He made the statement during the launch of Merck’s Thyroid White Paper in Jakarta on Nov. 5. The report gives an overview of the main challenges and gaps in policies to tackle thyroid diseases in Asia-Pacific countries.
Read also: Necks on the line: Women's lives and the challenges of thyroid disease
Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, refers to a medical condition in which the thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck, does not make enough hormones tasked with regulating fats and carbohydrate digestion and body temperature, among other functions, according to a description provided by Mayo Clinic.
