News
Women and Thyroid Disease
The thyroid is a small gland at the base of your neck that produces the hormone that regulates body’s metabolism, growth and development. Factors that may lead the thyroid to malfunction include autoimmune disorders, an iodine deficiency, some medications, and even stress.
If it’s not working properly, it can result in a number of health issues, especially for women.
According to the American Thyroid Association, one in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime.
In honor of World Thyroid Day on May 25th our team of board-certified endocrinologists and thyroid specialists are helping spread awareness about the common thyroid issues affecting women, like hypothyroidism (underactive) and hyperthyroidism (overactive) and Hashimoto’s Disease.
Symptoms that may indicate you have a thyroid problem are fatigue, restlessness, change in heart beat, unexplained weight gain or loss, or irregular or absent periods.
The greatest toll a troubled thyroid takes on a woman’s body is to her reproductive system.
Here are the various stages and phases of the female reproductive cycle and how they are affected by the thyroid:
The Fertile Years
Thyroid problems can affect ovulation (releasing an egg from the ovary) and impair fertility. Thyroid problems can cause menstrual cycle irregularities (frequent cycles, no cycles or delayed cycles and increased bleeding)
Pregnancy & Post-Pregnancy
A thyroid issue during pregnancy, if left untreated, can be very serious and potentially damage the fetus (neuropsychological and cognitive impairment in the child) or lead to premature birth or stillbirth, miscarriage, preterm delivery, placental abruption, or pre-eclempsia, which dangerously elevates the mother’s blood pressure. Postpartum (after delivery), some women might have high thyroid levels due to postpartum thyroiditis.
Menopause & Bone Health
An overactive thyroid gland can bring on early menopause in some women, as early as 40 years old. It can also deplete bones of calcium and result in a common condition known as osteoporosis.
How is thyroid disease treated?
Successful treatment for both an overactive or underactive thyroid is often easily accomplished with medication prescribed by an endocrinologist. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits will also greatly support your thyroid treatment, such as following a well-balanced diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, exercising regularly, and particularly for women, using weights to improve bone density.
Contact Us to Help Manage your Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Thyroid Conditions
If you’d like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology and discover how our diabetes services and other endocrinology therapies can help you lead a full and active life, please contact us at (512) 458-8400 or request an appointment online.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back with us each month as we provide you helpful wellness and health information.
POSTS BY TOPIC
