Can low thyroid prevent pregnancy?

Normal thyroid function is important for normal ovulation. Doctors know enough about this connection to screen for thyroid problems with Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) if a woman is having trouble getting pregnant. Being treated for hypothyroidism increases the likelihood of becoming pregnant, both naturally and with assistance, as with in vitro fertilization. Treatment also cuts down on problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage and preterm birth. (Pregnancy can also cause thyroid problems- read more here)

However, I believe that the usual screening methods for hypothyroidism, such as the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test, miss many women who have low thyroid hormone function. The TSH test can’t detect if you are having a problem converting T4, the inactive form of thyroid hormone, to T3, the active form. It can’t tell if you have thyroid hormone resistance, or a genetic problem that keeps you from using thyroid hormones properly.

There is an inexpensive and easy way to determine if indeed you do have low thyroid hormone function. Take your body temperature. Do this before you start any expensive fertility tests or treatments. (For instructions on how to do this correctly, see “How are body temperatures measured” on our website.) If your body temperature is consistently low—below 98.5 F., or 36.94 C, but typically lower than 97.8 F, or 36.56 C.— there’s a good chance that you have low thyroid hormone function. This may occur even if you have normal blood levels of TSH. It can also occur even if you are taking what seems to be an adequate dose of T4 (Synthroid.)

For many women, body temperature comes back to normal once they are given an optimal dose of T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Normalizing body temperature with T3 can regulate menstrual cycle and improve your chances of getting pregnant. It can improve mood, energy level, and ability to drop excess weight. Many doctors have told me how they have helped many patients get pregnant by normalizing their body temperatures. At a recent conference where I lectured, a doctor told me of his 21-year-old daughter who was conceived through the use of T3.

If you’re someone who might benefit from this therapy, share this article with your doctor, who can call us at 800.420.5801 to get more information about how to use T3, along with nutritional and herbs to support thyroid health, and to discuss your individual case. You can also use our website to find the health care practitioner closest to you who is trained in T3 treatment.

REFERENCES

Abdel Rahman AH, Aly Abbassy H, Abbassy AA. Improved in vitro fertilization outcomes after treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism in infertile women. Endocr Pract. 2010 Sep-Oct;16(5):792-7.

Busnelli A, Somigliana E, Benaglia L, et. al. In vitro fertilization outcomes in treated hypothyroidism. Thyroid. 2013 Oct;23(10):1319-25.

Yoshioka W, Amino N, Ide A, et. al. Thyroxine treatment may be useful for subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with female infertility. Endocr J. 2015;62(1):87-92.