Relationship Between Underactive Thyroid And Pregnancy
Underactive thyroid, otherwise known as Hypothyroidism, is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain crucial hormones. Hypothyroidism may not cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages. An underactive thyroid can affect your ability to conceive. Here is what to do if you have hypothyroidism and are trying to become pregnant.
When your thyroid gland is not making enough thyroid hormone, it can have a serious effect on every organ in your body, including your reproductive system.
This means hypothyroidism may make it difficult to conceive if you are planning on having children. A study published in August 2015 in the Journal of Pregnancy found that women with hypothyroidism were less likely to become pregnant and more likely to take longer to become pregnant than women without the condition.
That is because women with hypothyroidism may not ovulate or ovulate with any regularity, and you have to ovulate to get pregnant.
Hypothyroidism can affect fertility in men as well, according to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada. Although hypothyroidism is less common in men, those who do have an underactive thyroid may have low libido and low sperm count, according to a review of research published in November 2013 in Frontiers in Endocrinology in November 2013.
Additionally, hypothyroidism can lead to fatigue in both men and women. When you are fatigued, you may not have much sex, Research revealed. It is harder to get pregnant when you’re not having much sex.
Here is what you can do if you are planning on having children and think you may have hypothyroidism.
Testing for Hypothyroidism
If you are experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as 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 decide on 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.