The Effect of Thyroid on Women

Why is thyroid disease common among women?
The cause is not clear. We do not know how many of the thyroid nodules appear; however, they are very common. There is a thyroid nodule that may be detected during examination or imaging in half of people at 60 years of age. More than 90% of the nodules are benign. The most common cause for hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's thryoditis is a risk factor for thyroid nodule formation. Deficiency of iodine may cause thyroid nodule formation.



Moreover, since the symptoms such as tiredness, mental deceleration, immobility, weight gain, dry skin and dry hair, constipation and irregular menstruation are more noticeable and autoimmune diseases are more common in women (i.e. Hashimoto's thryoiditis), higher incidence of thyroid disease in women may be explained.

Does thyroid disease prevent pregnancy?

Expecting mothers want to have a healthy pregnancy period and a healthy baby. However, thyroid hormones should be monitored before pregnancy and controlled after pregnancy. Genetic factors, stress, environmental contamination, unhealthy diet prevent to obtain pregnancy because of disrupted body balance. These factors may include hereditary and non-hereditary diseases. Thyroid hormones may cause severe problems that prevent to get pregnant in women.

Thyroid is an important gland that may affect the mechanism in the body. Dysfunction of the gland affects many organs negatively. Such organs include reproduction organs. Ovum cells of women and sperm cells of men are also affected. Toxic and lazy thyroid gland prevents pregnancy. Although pregnancy is achieved in this case, risk of premature birth or miscarriage increases.

Thyroid hormones interact with all hormones including sex hormones. Thyroid hormone levels should be within normal range for proper functioning of the ovaries in women and testicles in men. Over or less operation has a negative effect on reproduction in both men and women.  Normal hormone levels of the thyroid gland have positive effects on both parents and the baby. Less thyroid hormone levels lead to infertility problem; furthermore, risk of premature birth and miscarriage may increase. Development of the fetus may be affected negatively. Thyroid hormones are effective in 30% of male infertility and in 35% of female infertility.

Over or less operation of thyroid gland than normal may affect progress of the pregnancy and affect the baby and the mother negatively. It may cause mental retardation, development disorder in fetus and miscarriage of the expectant mother. Therefore, women diagnosed with any thyroid disease should be controlled by a gynecologist, internal disease specialist or endocrinologist if necessary before and during pregnancy.

Those who have family members with thyroid disease, women with history of difficulty to get pregnant, miscarriage or premature birth are involved in high risk group.