Thyroid dysfunction and semen quality

They have noticed that hypothyroidism had adverse effects on male spermatogenesis, though the sperm morphology was the only parameter that was affected significantly, sperm motility was also affected but the differences were not statically significant62 (Table 1). Viewed together, the treatment of hypothyroidism in men shows some emerging trends in its effect on sexual function. In all studies, the rate of ED decreased after treatment.17, 27, 28 In studies using IIEF scores, total IIEF scores increased significantly.17, 28 However, there was difference in which IIEF domain scores improved with treatment.

Antithyroid drugs alert card

Other causes, such as toxic multinodular goiter and toxic adenoma, as well as subacute thyroiditis, are less common, and others are very rare. It is, therefore, important to distinguish these clinical manifestations to apply an adequate treatment. First, criteria used to diagnosesemen abnormalities were frequently different from study to study. Second, inseveral studies, cohorts included men from infertile couples, namely, patients withlow semen quality for reasons other than thyroid dysfunction. Third, studiesperformed so far have enrolled small cohorts of patients, hence lowering theirstatistical power. In men, hyperthyroidism can cause a marked reduction in sperm count, resulting in reduced fertility.

Leydig cells

A simple blood test to measure the TRAb level in the mother can help predict whether the baby will be affected in this way. If the levels of antibodies are high it is likely that you and your baby will be monitored more closely. There is, unfortunately, an increased risk of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy if your hyperthyroidism is not under control. If you are taking antithyroid drugs there is a very slight increased risk of the baby having developmental abnormalities so some patients choose to have definitive treatment for Graves’ disease with radioactive iodine or surgery to allow them to have a pregnancy without needing to take antithyroid drugs. Also, if the dose of antithyroid drugs is too high, the baby’s thyroid may become underactive and the baby may develop a goitre.

In the UK all babies have a heel-prick blood test to screen for hypothyroidism shortly after birth and treatment can be started very quickly if your baby needs levothyroxine. Hypothyroidism is rare in newborn babies in the UK – only about one baby in every 2,000-3,000 is born with hypothyroidism. Moreover, alterations in thyroid hormones signaling could also have detrimental effects on the placenta, possibly even causing abortion; however, the molecular mechanisms involved have not been completely understood 21. In this article, we will interchangeably use the terms “hyperthyroidism” or“thyrotoxicosis” to identify thyroid hormone excess. If you are on antithyroid drugs, you can breastfeed provided the dose is low, but check first with your doctor.

• However, once you are taking medication (levothyroxine tablets) and your thyroid hormone levels are back to normal your chances of becoming pregnant, or fathering a child, should improve dramatically.
• Hudson and Edwards (27) after conducting study on human subjects stated adverse effects of hyperthyroidism on spermatogenesis by altering sex steroid levels (27).
• Due to the stimulating effect of hCG on TSH receptor, serum TSH may decrease in the first trimester, with a peak of hCG between 7- and 11-weeks’ gestation.

• In men, hyperthyroidism can cause a marked reduction in sperm count, resulting in reduced fertility.
• You should have regular blood tests throughout your pregnancy so that your dose can be adjusted if necessary.
• Most women are able to stop taking these tablets after six to twelve months, but around a third of women develop permanent hypothyroidism and need levothyroxine treatment in the long term.
• Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive after at least 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse, affects about 15% of couples, and it is particularly common in developing countries 1–3.
• Large trials have shown that there is no benefit from giving levothyroxine to women with positive TPO antibodies and normal thyroid function in terms of improving fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

A thyroid blood test is essential for diagnosing thyroid imbalances that may impact male fertility. This test helps identify conditions like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, both of which can disrupt hormone levels and sperm health. The good news synthroid toprol is that many thyroid-related fertility challenges are manageable with the right fertility treatment and lifestyle adjustments. Regular monitoring through a thyroid blood test can aid in early detection and effective management, ensuring better reproductive health outcomes.

Motility

Therefore, LT4 significantly reduced sperm necrosis and lipid peroxidation ameliorating chromatin compactness. These effects of LT4 were evident at a concentration of 2.9 pmol L-1, close to the physiological free-thyroxine (FT4) concentrations in the seminal fluid of euthyroid subjects. We showed a beneficial role of thyroid hormones on sperm mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and DNA integrity.

There is extreme heterogeneity across existing studies, with a variety of factors possibly influencing the findings. The main reason is that the definition of “normal thyroid function” and “subclinical hypothyroidism” has been changed during the time. Accordingly, the decision on whether to start treatment with levothyroxine or not, due to TSH cutoff definition, may differ. The definitions or criteria of final outcomes in different studies were often unclear or missing and the study designs were miscellaneous. Contributing factors as patient age, body mass index, previous IVF attempts, infertility cause, are all of great significance for the outcome. Furthermore, the protocol type used in the IVF cycle potentially may influence the outcomes, due to the well-known impact on thyroid function, and the data on fertilization method are frequently imprecise.

For men who are treated with antithyroid drugs, there are no risks attached to fathering a child. To date, no studies are available investigating the effect of hyperthyroidism on IVF outcomes. Probably, this is because patients with hyperthyroidism should postpone IVF techniques after normalization of thyroid function 27. We herein aimed to review the new insights on the relationship between impaired thyroid function and male and female fertility, spacing from spontaneous pregnancy to ART, with the objective of providing an updated narrative revision of the literature. We herein aimed to review the new insights into the impact of impaired thyroid function on male and female fertility, spacing from spontaneous pregnancy to ART, with the objective of providing an updated narrative revision of the literature.

Men with hypothyroidism may notice fatigue, weight gain, dry skin and cold intolerance, while those with hyperthyroidism may experience weight loss, heat intolerance, irritability and an increased heart rate. In both cases, fertility issues like reduced sperm count and poor sperm quality are common, which is why seeking medical advice for these symptoms is important. Further research is needed to investigate (1) whether hyperthyroidism orhypothyroidism affects nonconventional sperm parameters (2) whether subclinicalthyroid dysfunction influences male fertility.

Furthermore, the ratio of the conversion of androstenedione to estrone, as well as of testosterone to estradiol, increases 22. These hormonal alterations result in menstrual cycle disturbances 2.5 times more frequent than in the general population 22 (Fig. 1). These conditions result in different thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free T4 (fT4) reference range than in the period out of gestation. In fact, TSH level decreases in the first trimester of pregnancy by 20–50%, due to hCG stimulatory effect on TSH receptor, leading to an fT4 increase in the same trimester, reaching maximum concentrations by 16 weeks of gestation, and consequently TSH increasing and fT4 lowering throughout the rest of gestation. In 15% of pregnant women during the first trimester, TSH level is below the lower limit of reference range of 0.4  mU/L 5.