What’s the relationship between your thyroid and fertility?
You probably don’t think about your thyroid very often, and you may not even know exactly what this butterfly-shaped gland does. As a result, you might be surprised to learn about the link between your thyroid and fertility. Along with reproductive organs like the ovaries and the testes, the thyroid gland helps make parenthood possible.
Our Las Vegas infertility doctors are here to help you learn more about this important, little gland. We’ll discuss how your thyroid affects your reproductive health and why testing your TSH level is so vital.
All about your thyroid and fertility
Most people don’t realize that the thyroid is a critical part of the endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone production and secretion. Your thyroid might be tiny, but it’s a hard worker. It releases thyroid hormones into your blood to help regulate your metabolism, growth and development. But that’s not all it does.
You may have noticed that your doctor checked your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) when you had fertility bloodwork. This is because there’s a relationship between your thyroid and fertility. Irregular TSH levels can cause women to have irregular menstrual cycles and ovulation and men to have poor sperm health.
Different fertility issues can occur depending on whether your thyroid gland is overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism).
Hyperthyroidism can cause several potential fertility issues. In women, it can lead to lighter menstrual cycles, while men with hyperthyroidism can experience decreased semen volume as well as sperm movement and shape.
Hypothyroidism is known to cause heavy periods in women. At the same time, it can contribute to problems with sperm shape in men.
Treatment can help improve thyroid problems
While thyroid and fertility issues can make it more difficult to conceive, it isn’t impossible. Before prescribing any treatment, our Las Vegas infertility doctors first work to determine the type and severity of your thyroid condition. From there, they will typically prescribe medication to address the problem.
Sometimes, medication alone isn’t enough to treat infertility due to thyroid issues. If this is true in your case, our team will prescribe an individualized fertility treatment plan for you. Your plan may include fertility medications or intrauterine insemination (IUI). If you need a little extra help conceiving, your doctor may suggest in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). These treatment options have helped many women and men become parents.
If you want to learn more about your thyroid and TSH level, we invite you to contact us for an appointment. Our Las Vegas infertility doctors can help you overcome a thyroid problem and welcome a baby.
