Risk factors

Goiters can affect anyone. They may be present at birth and occur at any time throughout life. Some common risk factors for goiters include:

• A lack of dietary iodine. People living in areas where iodine is in short supply and who don't have access to iodine supplements are at high risk of goiters.
• Being female. Because women are more prone to thyroid disorders, they're also more likely to develop goiters.
• Your age. Goiters are more common after age 40.
• Medical history. A personal or family history of autoimmune disease increases your risk.
• Pregnancy and menopause. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, thyroid problems are more likely to occur during pregnancy and menopause.
• Certain medications. Some medical treatments, including the heart drug amiodarone (Pacerone, others) and the psychiatric drug lithium (Lithobid, others), increase your risk.
• Radiation exposure. Your risk increases if you've had radiation treatments to your neck or chest area or you've been exposed to radiation in a nuclear facility, test or accident.