One Explanation for Failure to Conceive: Thyroid and Infertility

One Explanation for Failure to Conceive: Thyroid and Infertility

As many as 1 in 10 couples may experience infertility, defined as the inability to conceive a child following 12 months of properly timed intercourse. In many cases infertility remains completely unexplained, but for at least some couples, there is a link between thyroid and infertility. Undiagnosed thyroid disease can cause difficulty conceiving as well as frequent miscarriages. Thyroid levels should be checked in both males and females who suffer from infertility.

Finding the Link Between Thyroid and Infertility

As many as 59 million Americans, most of them women, suffer from some problems with their thyroid. However, most people (some doctors included) do not understand the relationship between thyroid and infertility. In fact, thyroid issues can complicate every phase of child bearing, from conception to pregnancy to breastfeeding and post partum well being.

Symptoms of thyroid issues include fatigue and depression, hair loss and weight gain or loss. Because these symptoms are also present during certain phases of pregnancy and are assumed to be associated with new motherhood, the relationship between thyroid and infertility may go undetected in females, unless patients specifically request a complete thyroid work up.

The combination of thyroid and infertility is a complicated one that may be present for both men and women. In men, thyroid disease is associated with decreased sperm production. In women, thyroid disease can be associated with failure to ovulate, failure for fertilized eggs to implant, and in extreme cases, ovarian failure. Ovarian failure is an autoimmune disease that helps explain the link between thyroid and infertility in women – when thyroid levels are not optimal, the ovaries may shrivel up and stop producing eggs. This can even lead to premature menopause in some women.

Importantly both hypothyroidism (when the thyroid isn't active enough) and hyperthyroidism (when the thyroid is too active) can be linked to fertility issues. In order to determine if a particular couple should be concerned about thyroid and infertility, their physician should order a complete thyroid screen to check for appropriate thyroid function and to determine whether thyroid antibodies (symptomatic of an autoimmune disorder) are present.

Fortunately, for most couples the link issues with thyroid and infertility are treatable. That is, with appropriate treatment, full fertility can be restored. Current medical technology allows doctors to help regulate both hypo- and hyperthyroidism using oral medications. Once the medications are given a chance to stabilize thyroid functioning, fertility often returns almost immediately.