Event press release, 10th Nov, Thyroid and Pregnancy

Welcome to my blog. This post consists of the press release for an event I'm organising next month - perhaps you could share it, it's on an important topic - thyroid and pregnancy.... read on..... 

The London group of the British Thyroid Foundation (BTF), a national patient charity, is organising an event for thyroid patients and people with an interest in thyroid disorders - and particularly their effect on pregnancy - at the Royal Free Hospital, London on Saturday, 10^th November 2012.

Thyroid disease is very common and usually easily treated - one in 20 people in the UK have a thyroid disorder - yet it is largely a hidden disease and some cases can have a devastating impact on people’s lives.

Thyroid disorders are prevalent in women of child-bearing age. Uncorrected thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy affects both fetal and maternal well-being. 

We need more thyroid hormones during pregnancy and in some cases a previously unnoticed thyroid disorder can be worsened when a woman becomes pregnant, risks include pre-eclampsia and miscarriage. 

All women considering pregnancy, and all health care professionals working with pregnant woman, should be aware of possible thyroid related issues.  Patients with thyroid disease need to be closely monitored during pregnancy.

The effects of thyroid dysfunction can also extend beyond pregnancy and delivery to affect intellectual development in the early life of the child.

The speaker at this event will be consultant, Dr Stephen Robinson, of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, who will be talking about “Thyroid disorders and pregnancy,” and will also answer questions from the floor on all aspects of thyroid disease.

Dr Stephen Robinson has a breadth and depth of experience in endocrinology and general internal medicine. He has contributed to specialist working groups at the Royal College of Physicians and Obstetricians, contributed to the confidential enquiry into maternal health and is also Chair of the thyroid cancer tumour working group.

Where and when

The event will take place on Saturday, 10^th November, from 10am to 1pm, in the Sir William Wells Atrium, Royal Free Hospital. For more information or to book a place, contact Lorraine Williams on lorrainewilliams@btf-thyroid.org. Refreshments will be provided. Donations will be welcomed, with a suggested minimum of £3 per person, to help cover the costs of the event.

The Royal Free Hospital is six minutes walk from Belsize Park underground station, 14 minutes from Hampstead underground station, and just four minutes walk from Hampstead Heath railway station. The meeting will be held in The Atrium which will be clearly signposted from the main entrance. Parking space is extremely limited in the local area so attendees are encouraged to use public transport.

Notes for editors

The BTF London group was launched in 2011 and this will be our sixth event. We usually get around 40 attendees and feedback on all events so far has been very enthusiastic. For more information about this event or future activities, or to access thyroid patient case studies and feature ideas, contact Lorraine Williams on: lorrainewilliams@btf-thyroid.org.

Lorraine writes a popular blog about her experiences with thyroid disease and running the BTF London group Thyroid Hope

TheBritish Thyroid Foundation (BTF) is a national patient support charity dedicated to supporting people with thyroid disorders and helping their families and people around them to understand the condition. It has been established for 21 years and works closely with medical professionals from the British Thyroid Association and the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons. Website www.btf-thyroid.org

More information on thyroid and pregnancy can be found via The British Thryoid Foundation, Thyroid in Pregnancy Campaign