Women who are positive for thyroid antibodies in early gestation are prone to post-partum depression, apparently independent of thyroid dysfunction, as measured by serum levels of free thyroxine, free triodothyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone. This finding may be due to infrequent monitoring of thyroid function, because hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and combinations of both may occur post-partum.
Aims
To test the hypothesis that stabilising thyroid function post-partum by administering daily thyroxine reduces the rate of occurrence and severity of associated depression.
Method
In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 100 microg of thyroxine or placebo was given daily to 446 thyroid-antibody-positive women (342 of whom were compliant) from 6 weeks to 6 months post-partum, assessing their psychiatric and thyroid status at 4-weekly intervals.
Results
There was no evidence that thyroxine had any effect on the occurrence of depression. The 6-month period prevalence of depression was similar to that reported previously.
Conclusions
The excess of depression in thyroid-antibody-positive women in the post-partum period is not corrected by daily administration of thyroxine.
PMID 11925355 11925355 DOI 10.1192/bjp.180.4.327 10.1192/bjp.180.4.327
Cite this article
Harris, B., Oretti, R., Lazarus, J., Parkes, A., John, R., Richards, C., Newcombe, R., & Hall, R. (2002). Randomised trial of thyroxine to prevent postnatal depression in thyroid-antibody-positive women. The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, 180(4), 327-330. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.180.4.327
Harris B, Oretti R, Lazarus J, Parkes A, John R, Richards C, et al. Randomised trial of thyroxine to prevent postnatal depression in thyroid-antibody-positive women. Br J Psychiatry. 2002;180(4):327-330. doi:10.1192/bjp.180.4.327
Harris, B., et al. "Randomised trial of thyroxine to prevent postnatal depression in thyroid-antibody-positive women." The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, vol. 180, no. 4, 2002, pp. 327-330.
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Open Access
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Open Access
Purdue‐Smithe A et al., 2019·Current Developments in Nutrition
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Conceição C et al., 2017·Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care
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