Mild Hypothyroidism and Fertility Health

Did you know that even though your thyroid lab work is technically defined as ‘within normal limits’, your thyroid may not be functioning like it should.  I have had patients for years feel like their thyroid is not functioning properly.  When you listen to people, they are paying attention to their bodies.  If their thyroid stimulating hormone also known as TSH fluctuates a lot, this may be part of the reason you are not feeling great but it can also lead to issues with fertility because of the thyroid relationship with hormones. This is also known as subclinical hypothyroidism. 

I had my thyroid check and they said it was normal? 

Subclinical hypothyroidism is when your thyroid is not making enough thyroid hormone, you could still be within the normal range but it may not be normal for you.  While it may be normal for some people, it could be low for you.  I had clients come tell me that their thyroid was functioning just fine however when I reviewed her lab work and her symptoms, they are frustrated when I tell them that they have subclinical to hypothyroid.  This can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, infertility, not tolerating the things you have been able to in the past. And guess what, this is really frustrating. Sometimes after interviewing, clients will say I just don’t feel like myself. This is a clue we may need to dig deeper into thyroid function. 

The Impact on Hormone and Fertility Health

Your thyroid gland is located in the neck and it helps regulate metabolism.  It can be directly related to your energy levels but also your reproductive system.  When your thyroid hormone levels are not balanced, it has a trickle down effect on other hormones related to your reproductive system.  This people with hypothyroidism are more prone to irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty when trying to get pregnant, increased risk for miscarriage as well as postpartum complications.  It can also make hormonal issues such as PCOS more difficult to get control of. 

What about thyroid nodules and fertility problems?

Many people find out they have a thyroid nodule. Usually this is found incidentally, meaning we were looking for something else and accidentally found a thyroid nodule on a CT or Ultrasound. If you are told you have a thyroid nodule, first of all don’t freak out. More than 90% of thyroid nodules are benign. Most of the time this will be followed by routine ultrasound and possibly a biopsy called a fine needle aspiration or FNA. Thyroid nodules CAN affect the function of the thyroid but not usually. This can be confirmed with lab work. 

Your healthcare provider may not know about optimal levels and may not be testing the right things. 

I know this myself, I recently went to a PCP who wrote off my request to have additional lab work.  When I pushed harder, explaining my reasoning for why I wanted additional lab work he said it was not necessary.  I decided to let this one go because there was some additional lab work that I really wanted him to draw so it can be processed under my insurance.  I usually do not tell healthcare providers that I am a nurse practitioner because quite frankly, I know what I know really well, but when it is out of my daily language or when it is regarding the health of my kids, I want to be spoken to like a parent or patient, not healthcare provider.

Sometimes you can talk them into doing lab work, I think many healthcare providers are afraid that you will be angry if you have to pay for the lab work which I understand.  However, thyroid lab work is generally inexpensive.  Your TSH can be well within normal and you can still have abnormal T3, T4 and antibodies that are contributing to the problem.  So if you do not do the entire workup, you can miss things.  Important things.

How do I know I may have subclinical hypothyroidism?

Your symptoms. If you're feeling great and your lab work is on the low or high limits of normal, that may be good for YOU. However, some other signs may be fatigue, depression, getting cold easily, hair loss, dry skin, constipation, gaining weight, difficulty concentrating, irregular periods, low libido.  If you think that you may have subclinical hypothyroidism and want to optimize your fertility, let’s work together ASAP to get to the root cause of your hypothyroidism and infertility! 

Infertility can be overwhelming, how do you know what you're doing right and what you may have wrong? 

If you are interested in taking control of your fertility, working with someone like myself who is a fertility consultant, nurse practitioner, and an overall incredibly passionate enthusiast for helping other people be parents, I would love to start working on helping you improve your overall health but also your fertility health.  Book a FREE consultation today to find out more.