Editing Hashimoto's thyroiditis (section)

=== Fetal microchimerism ===

Several years after the delivery, the [[Chimera (genetics)|chimeric]] male cells can be detected in the maternal peripheral blood, thyroid, lung, skin, or lymph nodes. The fetal immune cells in the maternal thyroid gland may become activated and act as a trigger that may initiate or exaggerate the autoimmune thyroid disease. In Hashimoto's disease patients, fetal [[Microchimerism|microchimeric]] cells were detected in thyroid in significantly higher numbers than in healthy females.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Koopmans M, Kremer Hovinga IC, Baelde HJ, Harvey MS, de Heer E, Bruijn JA, Bajema IM | title = Chimerism occurs in thyroid, lung, skin and lymph nodes of women with sons | journal = Journal of Reproductive Immunology | volume = 78 | issue = 1 | pages = 68–75 | date = June 2008 | pmid = 18329105 | doi = 10.1016/j.jri.2008.01.002 }}</ref>