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Hypothyroidism and How It Affects Your Fertility

Hypothyroidism is the leading cause of infertility issues in women. Low thyroid function is a leading cause of difficulty in achieving and maintaining pregnancy. It is one of the most common causes of infertility and not many women realize that.

What Is The Thyroid Gland?

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that partially surrounds the windpipe. The thyroid produces thyroid hormones, mainly thyroxine (T4) and small amounts of triiodothyronine (T3). T3 is the more active form of thyroid hormone that tells cells what to do, and T4 is converted into T3 inside the target cells.

How Does The Thyroid Gland Function?

The pituitary gland releases the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) which sends signals to the thyroid gland to make the thyroid hormone. Doctors use the levels of TSH in your body to diagnose if you have hypothyroidism. High levels of TSH in your blood usually indicate that your body is not producing enough thyroid hormone in the body. This is just a preliminary test and more tests are required to confirm hypothyroidism.

What Role Do Thyroid Hormones Play During Pregnancy

• During pregnancy, the maternal thyroid hormone controls the fetal growth and development, with help from fetal thyroid hormone later in pregnancy.
• Postpartum the thyroid continues to help with the growth and development.
• Healthy thyroid function also regulates the functioning of several other hormones like growth.
• Thyroid Hormones controls the heart rate, blood pressure, and proper brain function

What is Hypothyroidism?

When the body is not producing enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs it is labeled as hypothyroidism. There can be several factors that cause hypothyroidism.

• Problem with the thyroid gland itself
• Iodine Deficiency
• Issues with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
• T4 hormones may not be converting to T3 hormones due to some internal issues

Hypothyroidism and Conception

Since all hormonal levels are connected to one another hypothyroid women find it harder to conceive. Hypothyroidism disrupts the production of reproductive hormones in women creating an imbalance. Women with thyroid disorders often have menstrual cycle abnormalities such as irregular cycles or scanty periods. Hypothyroidism has known to cause ovarian dysfunction although the exact causes for the same have yet to be uncovered. Hypothyroidism can also cause ovarian cysts in some women which can be treated with medication.

Hypothyroidism during Pregnancy

Thyroid problems have known to occur in pregnant women with occurrences as high as 10-15% of all pregnant women.

During pregnancy, a woman’s thyroid function needs to be increased by about 20-50% to accommodate the needs of the mother and her fetus. When the thyroid is put under pressure due to pregnancy and the woman suffers from hypothyroidism it could often lead to risks of miscarriage or underdevelopment of the fetus. It could also result in preterm babies born with lower weight and higher postnatal development issues.

It’s always important for women to check their thyroid functioning before and during the pregnancy. The tests are relatively easily available and should be conducted by a properly certified doctor.

Shrikhande IVF and Surrogacy center in Nagpur, India is one of the leading infertility treatment centers. We have treated several cases of women who suffer from hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism and ensured a successful and safe pregnancy. If you would like more information about hypothyroidism, its symptoms, and how to treat it, get in touch with one of the many fertility experts at Shrikhande IVF. Our mission is to provide you with the ultimate infertility care and we do so by ensuring that you have all the necessary information at your fingertips.

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