Hypothyroidism and Fertility
For women who are trying to get pregnant, thyroid issues can cause multiple problems. It can become very difficult to conceive, and even ovulate. An imbalance with the thyroid, such as hypothyroidism can cause excessive bleeding, even heavier than menstrual bleeding, and can impede the availability of eggs, their availability for fertilization, thus making it virtually impossible for a woman to conceive.
Hypothyroidism can stop a woman from ovulating. If no egg is available, then it is impossible for a woman to become pregnant. Since this condition is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions, a doctor may not even test for this health concern. One of the leading causes of hypothyroidism is an iodine deficiency. Many women fail to get enough in their diet, and they start to suffer from symptoms of hypothyroidism. Many of the symptoms are missed in any examination by a doctor, including the inability to tolerate cold, inability to lose weight even when following a strict diet, dry skin and fatigue.
Often, these symptoms can be associated with other more common conditions, such as stress. Add to them a disturbance in sleep patterns, and hair loss, and you have a serious problem. Once these problems start compounding, they can lead to high blood pressure, and heart conditions. If a woman happens to become pregnant, having high blood pressure can lead to serious complications in her pregnancy, including miscarriage.
For many women, it can be seriously difficult to become pregnant, and they fail to consider all of their health aspects. If you have a suspicion that you may have hypothyroidism, then you should have your doctor test you appropriately. There is always a chance that you can still become pregnant, so there is no reason to stop trying while you are being treated. Once your hormones come back into balance, you will be able to conceive easily. In addition, the one way to know for sure if you are ovulating is to use an ovulation test kit. These kits measure the LH levels or leuteinizing hormone which is present when an egg is ready for fertilization. For most women, the LH phase lasts up to 15 days, during which time they can become pregnant. For women who have hypothyroidism, this phase is shortened considerably.
It is important to test for LH, because without it, a woman cannot become pregnant, even if she is still menstruating on a regular basis.
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Source: http://underactivethyroidsymptomsinwomenblog.com/hypothyroidism-and-fertility)
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