Location:
Call: 040 4488 5333
[email protected]

06 March, 2018

5 ways in which Thyroid problems may affect fertility

An optimal thyroid function is necessary for a healthy reproductive system. It is essential for your ability to conceive successfully, have a healthy pregnancy and to deliver a baby without complications.

Here are 5 ways in which thyroid problems may affect your fertility and your ability to have a baby:

  • Lack of Ovulation

A poorly treated thyroid condition, or an undiagnosed one, can leave you at a greater risk of experiencing an “anovulatory cycle”, a cycle when you don’t release an egg. When the egg does not release, there is no chance of conception and pregnancy. Even if you have a menstrual cycle, you still can’t become pregnant if you have anovulatory cycles. Proper treatment may reduce the risk of infertility. However, apart from thyroid problems, there may be other potential reasons for anovulatory cycles which include perimenopausal changes, adrenal dysfunction, anorexia, ovarian issues and PCOS etc. Discuss these with your doctor if you’re trying to get pregnant.

  • Luteal Phase Defects

Luteal phase is the second half of your menstrual cycle. It is during the luteal phase that the egg is released and begins its journey through the fallopian tube, where it may be fertilized by a sperm to begin pregnancy. It takes 13 to 15 days for the egg to implant on the uterine lining. If the luteal phase is too short, it does not give enough time for successful implantation and the fertilized egg may be expelled along with menstrual blood. Proper diagnosis of thyroid and treatment may help resolve luteal phase defects.

  • Pregnenolone Conversion Issues

One of the most important functions of thyroid is to convert cholesterol into the hormone pregnenolone. It is a precursor hormone which is converted into progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA. Deficient thyroid hormone may lead to deficiencies in other key hormones and can disrupt menstrual cycle. This may impair fertility and lead to problems in conceiving. Proper treatment and hormone replacement may help.

  • Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) Imbalance

Thyroid problems may reduce the levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which is a protein that attaches to estrogen. Low SHBG can lead to high estrogen which can interfere with the growth and development of your follicles, FSH and LH surges associated with ovulation. SHBG can be measured by blood test, to evaluate whether a deficiency or excess is affecting your fertility.

  • Early Perimenopause / Menopause

Thyroid conditions put you at an increased risk of having an early onset of menopause. Perimenopause refers to the timeframe when hormonal levels shift and decline and may last for as long as 10 years prior to menopause. Untreated or undiagnosed thyroid conditions may lead to perimenopause and menopause beginning early, thereby shortening childbearing years and causing reduced fertility at an earlier age. A full fertility evaluation needs to be performed by your doctor to know more and suggest the course of action.

When you’re trying to conceive, make sure that your doctor knows about your thyroid condition. This will help them chart out steps to ensure optimal thyroid health and increase your chances of conceiving. To know more, visit our team of gynecologists at KIMS Cuddles.

 

*Information shared here is for general purpose. Please take doctors’ advice before taking any decision.

SIMILAR ARTICLES

blog featured image

29 July, 2026

Irregular Periods: When to Investigate

Period irregularity is something many women experience at some point, and most learn to live with it, at least for a while. A late period during a stressful month, a lighter cycle after illness, a missed period after a long flight. These variations are common and usually self-correcting. The problem is that irregular periods are also how the body signals conditions that genuinely need attention, and because the irregularity can feel familiar, it is easy to keep waiting for things to normalise when they never will without proper evaluation.Knowing where the line sits between normal variation and something worth investigating is genuinely useful.What counts as irregularA normal menstrual cycle runs anywhere from 24 to 38 days, measured from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. Variation of up to eight days between the shortest and longest cycle is considered normal. Lengths ranging between 8 and 20 days of variation are considered moderately irregular, and variation of 21 days or more is considered very irregular.Changes outside the cycle length are also irregular. Periods that are either much heavier or lighter than normal, periods that are much longer or shorter than normal, periods between periods, and periods that are absent altogether, in a woman not pregnant, breastfeeding, or in menopause,
Read More
blog featured image

29 July, 2026

Fertility Decline: What Women Should Know

Conversations about fertility tend to happen too late. Women often begin thinking seriously about their reproductive timeline only when they are ready to conceive. At this point, some of the most important biological facts have already been playing out for years without their awareness. The decline in female fertility with age is one of the most consistently misunderstood aspects of reproductive health, and the gap between what women know and what the biology actually shows is significant.This is not about creating anxiety. It is about giving women accurate information early enough to make genuinely informed decisions.The Fundamental BiologyA woman is born with all the eggs she is going to have in her lifetime. Her eggs age with her, decreasing in quality and quantity. Age is the single most important factor affecting a woman's fertility.Females are born with a finite number of oocytes. The number of oocytes peaks in the womb at around 20 weeks of gestation and subsequently declines steadily until approximately age 32, after which the number decreases at a greater rate until age 37, beyond which oocyte numbers drop even more rapidly.This is not something that can be slowed by fitness, diet, or general good health. Even though women today are healthier and taking better care of themselves than ever before, improved
Read More
blog featured image

29 July, 2026

PMOS: Causes Beyond Hormones

Most patients understand Polycystic Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, or PMOS, as a hormonal condition. Irregular periods, elevated androgens, and ovarian cysts on an ultrasound. The hormonal picture is real, but it is only part of the story. Decades of research have made it increasingly clear that PMOS is far more complex than a hormonal imbalance in isolation. It involves the metabolic system, the immune system, the gut, and genetics, all interacting in ways that produce a condition that looks different in every woman who has it.Understanding the fuller picture of what causes PMOS matters because it changes how the condition is managed and why lifestyle interventions work as well as they do.What PMOS Actually InvolvesPolycystic Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder, typically characterised by hirsutism, hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, menstrual disorders, and infertility. The name itself reflects what the condition truly is. The metabolic component is not secondary to the ovarian and hormonal picture. It is central to it. Treating the hormonal symptoms without addressing the underlying metabolic drivers is one reason PMOS management often produces only partial results.Insulin Resistance Sits at the CentrePMOS insulin resistance, where cells throughout the body fail to respond normally to insulin, is considered the primary pathological basis for the reproductive dysfunction seen in PMOS.
Read More
Loading booking..