Thankfully, for individuals who have already undergone one (or more) IVF cycle and have frozen embryos leftover, past attempts at embryo transfers or IVF can provide many embryos for future attempts. This adds to the data that shows the importance of identifying and treating women with hypothyroidism before attempting either natural conception or undergoing IVF.For couples who have experienced failed IVF cycles, preparing for your frozen embryo transfer can bring uncertainty, worry and fear.īringing new life and building a family is a dream many couples aspire to have, however, fertility is not often a straightforward path. In this study, women with adequately treated hypothyroidism had no difference in pregnancy rates and live births compared to women with normal thyroid function, although the hypothyroid women did have less response to hormonal ovarian stimulation and a lower rate of embryo transfer. There were no differences in outcomes in the hypothyroid patients between those women who had antibody positive autoimmune thyroid disease and those who were hypothyroid without any antibodies. 22%) and live birth rates (30% of treated hypothyroid vs. 34%), proportion of women who had a miscarriage (16% vs. However, once the embryos were transferred there was no difference between the groups in regards to pregnancy rate (36% vs. The treated hypothyroid women had more cancelled IVF cycles due to poor response, the need for longer hormone stimulation to get their ovaries to respond and a greater proportion who did not undergo embryo transfer than did the control women. The two groups were similar in regards to baseline TSH, smoking history, menstrual regularity and cycle length, number of prior deliveries and indications for the IVF procedure. The main outcome measurement was live birth rate per IVF cycle. Ap.Īt an infertility clinic in Italy, 137 women with hypothyroidism were treated with levothyroxine to normalize their TSH and compared to 274 age-matched control women with normal thyroid function. In vitro fertilization outcomes in treated hypothyroidism. The goal was to see if appropriate treatment of the hypothyroidism normalized the success and live birth rates following IVF.īusnelli A et al. This study was designed to compare the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) carried out in hypothyroid women treated with adequate doses of levothyroxine compared to women undergoing the same procedure with normal thyroid function. Several, but not all studies have suggested that treating women with hypothyroidism with levothyroxine improves pregnancy rates and reduces the risk of miscarriage.

Hypothyroidism that is either undiagnosed or under-treated can contribute to infertility and can result in miscarriage. This is caused by the body developing antibodies that attack and destroy the thyroid. The most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States is the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hypothyroidism is common among women of child-bearing age. Occasionally the antibodies get confused and attack the body’s own tissues, causing autoimmune disease. The woman undergoing IVF is treated with hormones to stimulate the ovaries before IVF (hormonal ovarian stimulation).Īntibodies: proteins that are produced by the body’s immune cells that attack and destroy bacteria and viruses that cause infections. In-vitro fertilization: a procedure when an egg is fertilized outside of the body and then implanted in a woman to achieve a pregnancy. TSH: thyroid stimulating hormone - produced by the pituitary gland that regulates thyroid function also the best screening test to determine if the thyroid is functioning normally.

Levothyroxine (T 4): the major hormone produced by the thyroid gland and available in pill form as Levoxyl™, Synthroid™, Levothroid™ and generic preparations. All patients with overt hypothyroidism are usually treated with thyroid hormone pills. Overt Hypothyroidism: clear hypothyroidism with an increased TSH and a decreased T4 level. There is controversy as to whether this should be treated or not. Subclinical Hypothyroidism: a mild form of hypothyroidism where the only abnormal hormone level is an increased TSH. Treatment requires taking thyroid hormone pills. Hypothyroidism: a condition where the thyroid gland is underactive and doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone. These antibodies can either turn on the thyroid (Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism) or turn it off (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hypothyroidism). Autoimmune thyroid disease: a group of disorders that are caused by antibodies that get confused and attack the thyroid.

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