Endocrine disorders in pregnancy

Endocrine disorders are a significant reason for consultation during pregnancy. Many of these conditions are common in women of fertile age and can have a profound impact on fertility and pregnancy outcome if they are not managed optimally. Diagnosis is often difficult because of the wide range of symptoms that can be experienced, especially as many of them occur as part of an otherwise normal pregnancy. Pregnancy physiology alters the normal biochemical parameters for many hormones, and interpretation must take into account the trimester of pregnancy as well as view the results in the context of the clinical presentation.