Does Hypothyroidism Cause Infertility?

Does Hypothyroidism Cause Infertility?

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Infertility has been one of the many situations that have faced women and men of all ages. Its causes are being widely researched. One of the metabolism-disrupting ailments known, hypothyroidism, is also pointed out to be a popular cause of infertility.

Understanding hypothyroidism and its effects

Hypothyroidism occurs in the thyroid gland. Located just below the area where a man’s Adam’s Apple can be found, the thyroid gland is a butterfly-like gland in the area of the neck. It is mainly responsible for the secretion of hormones known as thyroxine and triiodothyronine.

A person with hypothyroidism suffers the effects of having a dysfunctional thyroid gland. This means that the thyroid gland cannot produce enough hormones required by the body. In this case, the hormones used in important bodily functions are not enough to execute such processes.

Focusing on hypothyroidism among women

Although there have been studies linking hypothyroidism to kids and men, a lot of patients diagnosed with this kind of disease are female. It is for this reason that hypothyroidism has been considered as a common cause of infertility.

Since hypothyroidism mainly affects the secretion of important hormones, the illness causes irregularity in women’s monthly ovulation periods. This, in turn, leads to the inability of women to produce and release mature egg cells needed for reproduction.

In some cases, hypothyroidism can cause the full inhibition of a woman to ovulation. How? A patient with hypothyroidism tends to produce more prolactin than the normal. This hormone is responsible for the production of breast milk. Since there is a lot of excessive breast milk, the woman’s body comes into a cycle that is only present during pregnancy, thus hindering or stopping ovulation. The brain, in turn, receives a command that the body is not yet prepared to ovulate.

Pointing out who can be affected by hypothyroidism-caused infertility

Technically, women in the reproductive age can be affected by hypothyroidism that can lead to infertility. As such, women of their twenties and late thirties are the most common to be afflicted with the disease. Although hypothyroidism may or may not affect a woman’s reproductive ability, caution should still be observed.

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