How Hypothyroidism Can Cause Women Infertility Problems

If you are experiencing infertility issues you may want to consider getting a full physical from your doctor to rule out any underlying medical issues such as hypothyroidism. Other reasons besides just your reproductive organs, or his sperm, could be the cause of your infertility issues. When hypothyroidism is left undiagnosed, untreated, or uncontrolled it can be a great factor in the cause of your fertility problems.

What is Hypothyroidism and What Do I Do if I Have It


Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone in your body. This hormone is responsible for all types of functioning and regulations in your body. When the hormone is under produced it can created a myriad of problems for you that are not just infertility based. Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism include excessive weight gain without reason, fatigue, cognitive issues, hoarse voice, thinning of the hair, and irregular periods. These are just a small sampling of this type of thyroid dysfunction. The thyroid is located in your neck where an Adam's apple would be. It is shaped like a butterfly. Sometimes if you have hypothyroidism, you can feel the thyroid with your hands through the skin because the thyroid is inflamed due to it trying to work properly.

A simple blood test can detect the amount of thyroid hormone that your thyroid is secreting. Your doctor can quickly tell you if you have hypothyroidism. If you do have this condition, you simply will have to take a synthetic thyroid hormone pill every day. Your doctor will have you come in frequently after you are first diagnosed to re-check your levels and adjust your medication dosage as necessary.

Many women find that once they get their thyroid levels under control then their periods become more regular and hormones begin to balance out and their infertility problems are fixed. For some women; however, even with the regulation of the thyroid they continue to experience infertility problems. If this is the case, you may want to speak with a fertility specialist to find out what other causes could be the culprit for your infertility problems.

Hypothyroidism Causes Infertility Problems; How?


Hypothyroidism can cause all kinds of problems for you that are fertility based and problems that are not associated with infertility. A woman with hypothyroidism, especially when it is left undiagnosed, untreated, or uncontrolled can cause cysts on the ovaries. These cysts can keep eggs from being released to be fertilized by the sperm. Hypothyroidism can also cause infertility problems due to causing a woman to have irregular periods. It makes it more difficult to plan conception when the cycle is unpredictable, also it is not uncommon for a woman to have her period but not be ovulating if she has a hypothyroidism problem. Without an egg there is no chance of having a pregnancy because there is nothing for the sperm to fertilize.

Hypothyroidism is also linked to causing an excess release of the hormone prolactin. Prolactin is a hormone that stimulates the production of breast milk and an over production of this hormone can cause irregular periods and a halt in ovulation. As mentioned earlier, once the thyroid is regulated with the use of a synthetic thyroid hormone, all of these problems could be fixed and a woman's infertility problems could be stopped.

If you find out you have hypothyroidism you should begin keeping a chart of your cycle, keep your doctor's appointments and take your medication so that your thyroid remains regulated to prevent the above problems from continuing. Once your thyroid is under control and you have been trying to conceive for at least 6 months with no success, it may be time to speak with a fertility specialist. For many women who find out they have an underactive thyroid, once they get treatment their infertility issues are resolved, but, for other women there may be other underlying medical conditions that an infertility expert can hopefully detect and resolve.