Fertility

_sweating4thewedding

This doesn't really have to do with weight loss but it's something that I think about a lot and I want to just be able to talk about it with people who understand for once and who can share their experience/s that may help me. I'm 19 and I was born without a thyroid (I think it's called athyroidism but whatever) so I take hypothyroidism pills. I've been on Synthroid for as long as I can remember. Anyway my concern is that I've read that it's difficult for women with hypothyroidism to conceive and that if they do conceive it's not uncommon to have a miscarriage/for the baby to be stillborn/, preterm, etc. I haven't spoken to a doctor about it because I'm not ready to have kids yet, but I know that I want kids more than anything else in the world and it honestly makes me cry every time I remember that maybe I can't have kids.

I don't and have never had regular periods (my last one was last month but before that probably was around 6 months since my last one). Honestly since I got my period 7 years ago I've probably had around 15-30 periods. I mean that could be because of my weight problems too but I feel like that little amount of periods isn't normal, especially because I'm not in puberty anymore and I think my body should have adjusted by now.

I'm also dumb and have EDNOS with anorexic and bulimic tendencies and have stopped taking my pills many times (in May 2014 I got a 3 month supply and still had it up until April of this year) and I'm worried that that might have affected whether or not I'll be able to have kids. If anyone out there has any advice or can tell me what to expect I'd appreciate it.

editorgrrl

My friend has Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and just had a daughter.

Your erratic periods are because of your eating disorder—not your thyroid. Please take your meds, please talk your doctors, and please see a therapist if you aren't already doing so.

You deserve to be happy and healthy.

CSARdiver

The complications with hypothyroidism is largely due to those who are untreated/undertreated and their weight is not optimal for pregnancy - very difficult for your body to stabilize hormones if you are overweight. These stats also include all ages - so much of this adverse events related to childbirth are occurring in the over 35 demographic. With all stats remember that it has nothing to do with you. If you hormones are in balance and your weight is stable (your not dumb, just tripped a few times - you will recover) then there shouldn't be an issue, at least related to thyroid hormones.

Don't worry yourself over the unknown. If concerned then speak with your doctor (an endo or ob/gyn who has crosstraining in hypothyroidism and fertility).

allergictodiets

I can only agree with @editorgrrl - please take your meds, please talk to your endo.

Now from my own experience - my DD was conceived when I had extremely irregular periods ( anything between 40-60 days ). I was treated with levothyroxine with jodine, TSH was kept between 2 and 3,5. After my pregnancy my diagnosis was changed to Hashimoto's, my current doctor keeps my TSH < 1 . My periods are like a clockwork now.

gaelicstorm26

I have had Hashimoto's since I was 11. I have two sons. Like you, I used to worry a lot about what kind of effect my thyroid disease might have on my fertility.

I can say that with my second son (both sons were surprise pregnancies), when I had my TSH tested at about the 6th week of pregnancy, it was too high (between 7-8). That pregnancy was fairly normal, except that I had Gestational Diabetes.

Both sons were born full-term, one weighing 6 lbs, 9 ounces and one weighing 6 lbs, 9.5 ounces.

I can say that, in my case, my Hashimoto's did not seem to interfere with my fertility, although I was considered to be higher risk and went for more frequent ultrasounds.

lindsey1979

I'm going through some of these very similar discussions with both my thyroid doc and fertility/OB doc. From what I've been told by both of them and have found on the internet, is yes if you're hypo, it can be more difficult to conceive but this is usually only when you're either (1) untreated or (2) inadequately treated. Usually a TSH over 2.5 can indicate problems, so fertility docs will look to get your TSH below 2.5. This is in large part because of the interaction with other hormones -- FSH, estradiol, etc.

For those that do get the proper treatment, there doesn't seem to be any issue. Though, I say that fully understanding that it can take people a LONG time to figure out their specific proper treatment.