Pregnant Women Should Be Checked for Low Thyroid Levels - Due to Dangers to Mother and Unborn Child
First Rapid Thyroid Point-of-Care Screening Test ThyroChek(R)
Offered by Healthcare Providers Direct, Inc. Can Detect Low Thyroid
Levels in 10 Minutes
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J.--(Business Wire)--
Latest medical data indicates there are dangers to pregnant women
with low thyroid levels and alerts physicians to the importance of
hypothyroid screening for these women. The American Association of
Clinical Endocrinologists and the National Academy of Clinical
Biochemistry recommend thyroid testing for women if they are pregnant
or hope to become pregnant.
More than six million women in the United States become pregnant
every year. Of these women, those with mild hypothyroidism may have no
symptoms or attribute symptoms they have to the pregnancy.
Approximately 3% will have elevated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
levels during pregnancy. Thyroid levels should be monitored
approximately every 6-8 weeks during the course of a pregnancy to
ensure normal function.
ThyroChek(R), the first rapid screening test to detect thyroid
deficiencies in the convenience of the doctor's office, is now
available from Healthcare Providers Direct, Inc. (OTCBB: HPRD), a
growing company focused on the development and distribution of rapid
diagnostic tests directly to physicians' offices. ThyroChek(R) quickly
and accurately detects elevated levels of human thyroid stimulating
hormone (TSH), the primary indicator of low thyroid function commonly
known as hypothyroidism.
"Thyroid disorders that affect pregnancy can be easily treated,
but early detection is crucial. ThyroChek(R) is a fast, simple and
accurate way to effectively test this large population of women,"
noted Norman Proulx, Healthcare Providers Direct Chief Executive
Officer. "Until recently, young women of childbearing age were not
considered for thyroid testing because it was thought to be a
condition primarily experienced by older women. Now there is mounting
medical data indicating that hypothyroidism during pregnancy is
associated with miscarriages, preeclampsia, preterm delivery,
placental abruption and developmental problems."
ThyroChek(R) is an easy test to use and provides results while the
patient is still in the office, allowing the doctor to determine
appropriate treatment levels at the earliest possible time. One drop
of blood from a simple finger stick is placed on the ThyroChek(R)
cassette - if two pink lines appear in 10 minutes, the patient is
positive for elevated levels of TSH, the primary indicator of low
thyroid function. ThyroChek(R) is a qualitative test.
"Classic symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, constipation,
intolerance to cold, muscle cramps, hair loss, dry skin, weight gain
and insomnia. These same symptoms are common and almost
indistinguishable in pregnancy, leaving pregnant women with virtually
no warning signs of low thyroid levels. We believe this further
punctuates the need for routine thyroid testing in prenatal care,"
continued Mr. Proulx.
Thyroid hormone levels affect the function of many of the body's
organs including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin. Untreated
low thyroid function can contribute to high cholesterol levels, heart
disease, infertility, muscle weakness and osteoporosis. Low thyroid
function is relatively common in pregnancy affecting as many as five
percent of pregnant women.
The American Thyroid Association recommends routine screening for
low thyroid function at age 35 and every five years thereafter. New
recommendations provided by The American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists and the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry
encourage screening for all pregnant women to help ensure safe
delivery of a healthy child.
Hypothyroidism effects an estimated 27 million Americans, 80
percent of those are women and half are undiagnosed. In women over 45
years of age, 14 percent have low thyroid function, particularly
Caucasian and Hispanic women.
Healthcare Providers Direct is a public company, with a unique
business model focused on the growing U.S. point-of-care (POC)
healthcare market. HPRD has developed a "direct-to-doctor"
multi-dimensional marketing communication model, coupled with "novel"
(new) and "legacy" (existing) FDA-approved diagnostic products, to
deliver these products and services cost-effectively to physicians'
offices, public health facilities, and selective alternative care
businesses in the professional POC segment of the U.S. healthcare
market. Their website is available for viewing at
www.healthcareprovidersdirect.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
Forward-looking statements such as "believe," "expect," "may,"
"plan," "intend," etc., contained herein are within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements
involve risks and uncertainties and are based on the company's beliefs
and assumptions it made using information currently available to it
and which reflect current views concerning those future events. Actual
results could differ materially. Therefore, undue reliance should not
be placed on any forward-looking statements, since they apply only as
of today's date, and accordingly, reference should be made to the
company's periodic filings with the SEC.
The Gooden Group
Jane Braden, 405-818-1905
Copyright Business Wire 2008
