FOGSI wants thyroid to be tested as part of national screening

Nagpur: Thyroid disorders are on the rise in India. Nearly 1 in 10 Indian adults suffer from hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones to meet the needs of the body. This condition is twice as prevalent in women as in men, and is common among women of child-bearing age.

Federation of Obstetric and Gyanaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) has proposed that thyroid test of every women should be done as part of the national screening programme that checks citizens for diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.

National chairperson of FOGSI’s Medical Disorder Committee Dr Komal Chavan said that thyroid hormones are crucial for normal development of baby’s brain and nervous system.

“Diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disorders are easy, but awareness is missing in common people. So, it would be beneficial for many if the government includes this test into national screening,” she said.

“Symptoms of thyroid disorders are non-specific such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation. It’s difficult to diagnose without testing. So, FOGSI guidelines recommend that thyroid testing should be conducted at the first prenatal visit or at the time of confirmation of pregnancy,” Chavan said.

Nagpur Obstetric and Gynaecological Society (NOGS) and FOGSI organized a one-day conference on “Medical Disorders in Pregnancy” on Sunday. Doctors discussed liver disorders, chronic constipation, heart disease, epilepsy, and infections during pregnancy.

“The message for women is that they should not hide any of their disorders from their gynecologist. Modern medical science has sustainable solutions for all problems. Even if the pregnancy is delayed and/or complicated, your doctor has a solution. Just discuss the issue with a doctor without hesitation,” said Dr Priyanka Kamble, NOGS president.

Dr Mangala Ghisad discussed prevention and management of surgical site infections (SSI) in gynaecological surgeries. Dr Rajeshree Khot, associate professor of medicine at AIIMS Nagpur spoke on the ‘management of liver disorders in pregnancy’. Gastroenterologist Dr Prashant Bhandarkar discussed the common problem of constipation. He advised on hydration and fibre consumption and active physical exercises to avoid constipation.

Cardiologist Dr Jaspal Arneja spoke about heart diseases in pregnancy, while endocrinologist Dr Sunil Ambulkar spoke on thyroid disorders in pregnancy. Neurologist Dr Neeraj Baheti spoke on epilepsy in pregnancy.