Cycle & ovulation
A dysfunction can shorten, lengthen or disrupt the cycle – up to the absence of ovulation. Read more under irregular cycle.
Thyroid & fertility.
The thyroid gland is small – its influence on fertility is not. Its hormones act on the cycle, egg maturation, implantation and early pregnancy. The good news: a thyroid dysfunction can be detected with a simple blood test and can usually be treated well. That is why TSH is a fixed part of our basic fertility work-up.
The basics
A small organ with a big impact.
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck. Its hormones control the energy metabolism of practically every cell in the body – and they are closely interlinked with the sex hormones that regulate the cycle and egg maturation. If the thyroid falls out of balance, this can affect the entire hormonal circuit that makes a pregnancy possible.
Thyroid dysfunctions are common, especially in women of childbearing age – and often go unnoticed for a long time because the symptoms are unspecific: tiredness, weight changes, sensitivity to cold or heat, cycle irregularities. With an unfulfilled wish for a child, a look at the thyroid is therefore always worthwhile.
Diagnostics
TSH: a fixed part of the basic fertility work-up.
Thyroid function is assessed primarily via TSH – the control hormone from the pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid to produce hormones. An abnormal TSH is a sensitive indication that the thyroid is working too little or too much. Depending on the findings, the free thyroid hormones and thyroid antibodies are determined in addition.
At the Wunschbaby Institut Feichtinger, TSH is a fixed component of the hormone status with which every fertility work-up begins. We determine the values in our own hormone laboratory – for you, this means short distances and rapidly available results, which we discuss with you in detail.
Connections
Where the thyroid can influence fertility.
Thyroid hormones act at several points on the way to pregnancy – from the cycle to the first weeks of pregnancy.
Implantation
The implantation of the embryo in the uterine lining can also be impaired by an untreated thyroid disorder.
Early pregnancy
In the first weeks, the mother's thyroid also supplies the child. A well-adjusted function supports a stable early pregnancy.
Male fertility
Thyroid hormones also play a role in men: pronounced dysfunctions can impair semen quality – a semen analysis provides clarity.
Conditions
Underactive, overactive and Hashimoto's.
The most common condition is an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism): the thyroid produces too few hormones and the metabolism runs on the back burner. Even mild, so-called latent forms – in which only the TSH is elevated – can be relevant when trying to conceive and are therefore assessed particularly carefully.
An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) is rarer. It, too, can disturb the cycle and should be medically adjusted before a pregnancy – typical signs are inner restlessness, palpitations and unintended weight loss.
The most common cause of an underactive thyroid in young women is the autoimmune thyroiditis Hashimoto's: the immune system forms antibodies against the body's own thyroid tissue, which can gradually reduce hormone production. Hashimoto's is not an obstacle on the way to your desired child – what matters is knowing the diagnosis, having regular check-ups and keeping the values well adjusted, especially before and during pregnancy.
Treatment
Easy to adjust – before and during pregnancy.
The reassuring news: thyroid dysfunctions are among the most treatable causes of an unfulfilled wish for a child. An underactive thyroid is usually balanced with thyroid hormone in tablet form, and the dose is adjusted individually on the basis of the blood values. Important to know: when trying to conceive, stricter TSH target ranges apply than usual – the adjustment therefore belongs in medical hands and is monitored continuously.
During pregnancy, the need for thyroid hormones increases because the mother's thyroid also supplies the child. An existing therapy is therefore usually adjusted, and the values are checked regularly. A well-adjusted thyroid stands in the way of neither a natural pregnancy nor fertility treatment – both can be planned in parallel with the adjustment.
Your advantage at WIF
Work-up and treatment from a single source.
1982
Pioneers of fertility medicine – Austria's first IVF baby
30,000+
Births since 1983
360°
Care under one roof – including our own hormone laboratory
3
Locations: Vienna, Baden & St. Pölten
More on the thyroid: podcast & hormone status
In our podcast episode Kinderwunsch & Schilddrüse (in German), Priv.-Doz. DDr. Michael Feichtinger talks in detail about thyroid hormones, underactive and overactive function and their role in fertility. Which other blood values belong to the work-up can be found on our page hormone status.
Frequently asked questions
Thyroid and fertility: your questions.
Why is the thyroid so important for fertility?
Thyroid hormones control the metabolism and are closely interlinked with the sex hormones. Both an underactive and an overactive thyroid can affect the cycle, egg maturation, implantation and early pregnancy. That is why checking thyroid function via TSH is a fixed part of every fertility work-up.
Can I get pregnant with an underactive thyroid?
Yes – as a rule, very well. An underactive thyroid can be balanced with thyroid hormone in tablet form; once the function is well adjusted, it usually does not stand in the way of a pregnancy. What matters is the medical adjustment of the values and regular check-ups – especially before and during pregnancy.
What is the optimal TSH value when trying to conceive?
When trying to conceive, stricter TSH target ranges apply than usual – a value that would still be considered unremarkable outside a fertility setting may already require treatment here. Which target range applies to you is determined individually by our physicians, based on your overall situation and your other findings.
What is Hashimoto's – and what does the diagnosis mean for my wish for a child?
Hashimoto's is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system forms antibodies against the body's own thyroid tissue – the most common cause of an underactive thyroid in young women. The diagnosis is not an obstacle to having a child: what is decisive are regular check-ups and well-adjusted thyroid values, above all before and during pregnancy.
How is the thyroid examined during a fertility work-up?
With a simple blood test: TSH is a fixed component of the hormone status, which we determine in our own hormone laboratory. Depending on the findings, the free thyroid hormones and thyroid antibodies are examined in addition; if needed, we involve specialists for a further work-up, for example by ultrasound.
I have no symptoms – can my thyroid still play a role?
Yes. Mild dysfunctions in particular often cause no symptoms, or only unspecific ones such as tiredness or cycle changes – and therefore go unnoticed for a long time. With an unfulfilled wish for a child, thyroid function is therefore checked regardless of symptoms.
Does the thyroid need to be monitored during pregnancy?
Yes. During pregnancy, the need for thyroid hormones increases because the mother's thyroid also supplies the child in the first weeks. An existing therapy is therefore usually adjusted, and the values are checked regularly – keeping mother and child well provided for.
Does the thyroid also affect male fertility?
It can. Pronounced thyroid dysfunctions can impair semen quality in men. The basis of the male work-up is the semen analysis; a hormone test can be useful in addition – we decide together what is necessary based on your findings.
Your next step
We fulfil your wish for a child!
A simple blood test in our own hormone laboratory shows whether your thyroid plays a role – we accompany you from the work-up to the treatment.
Or call us: +43 1 877 77 75