Can Hypothyroidism Affect Your Fertility?
Testing for Hypothyroidism
If you are experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, weight gain, muscle weakness, and heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods in women, among others, you should get tested for the condition.
A simple blood test can reveal whether your thyroid gland is functioning normally. The test measures the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your bloodstream, and high levels suggest hypothyroidism, according to the American Thyroid Association.
So, should you be tested for hypothyroidism before you try to conceive? Expert believes so, especially because more women are waiting until they are older to become pregnant. The older you are, the more chances you have of acquiring hypothyroidism, she says. The thyroid is a particularly sensitive organ and fails particularly frequently.
Hypothyroidism is one of the many common conditions that your doctor can test for as part of a pre-pregnancy health check, according to the American Pregnancy Association, noting that it’s better to identify and treat health issues before conception.
A conversation about pre-pregnancy testing is especially warranted if thyroid health problems run in your family, the British Thyroid Foundation says.
Women who have difficulty getting pregnant or who have had miscarriages previously should be tested, an Expert from the Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in New York City added.
Hypothyroidism and Fertility
Hypothyroidism can be easily treated, and once you get your thyroid levels back to a normal range, you can become pregnant, Professionals say. Treatment involves taking synthetic thyroid hormone in pill form.
Though it may take a few months to determine the proper amount of hormone for you, once you and your doctor determine your optimal dosage, you should feel yourself again and be able to conceive. A Study revealed.
When hypothyroidism is the reason for infertility, taking thyroid medication will enable most women to conceive, as soon as six weeks after treatment, according to a study published in February 2015 in the IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences. The study also pointed out that many women who have a problem conceiving may have no apparent symptoms of hypothyroidism and only slightly elevated TSH levels, making it all the more important to have a TSH blood test if you’re having a hard time getting pregnant and don’t know why.
Another study found that treating hypothyroidism with medication not only improved conception rates but also reduced miscarriages early in pregnancy, which can happen as a result of untreated severe hypothyroidism. Those results were published in January 2015 in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.
Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy
Once you conceive, it is important to continue to monitor your thyroid hormone levels throughout your pregnancy. Your doctor may need to adjust your medication dosage to keep your TSH under control.
You need to be tested periodically during pregnancy; typically, that means about three times.
Most of the time, mildly low thyroid hormone levels won’t affect the fetus or the pregnancy, a Professional says.
However, she noted that severe hypothyroidism can be associated with several bad outcomes, including miscarriage and fetal death.
Thus, it is critical to continue taking your medication throughout your pregnancy, but rest assured that there’s no harm in it to you or the baby, according to the Expert.
If you have any concerns about your thyroid function while pregnant or trying to become pregnant, talk to a reproductive endocrinologist or an obstetrician/ gynecologist trained in fertility and hypothyroidism, the Expert advised.