Thyroid problems could be keeping you from conceiving and you could not even know it. While thyroid dysfunction is certainly not the number one cause of infertility, it should be addressed by every couple trying to get pregnant. Thyroid problems in women commonly lead to no ovulation (also known as anovulation, or no release of an egg).

Most women assume that if they are menstruating, they are ovulating, but this is not always the case. This is why ovulation kits are so important whether or not you are using them to time when you are having sex. These ovulation kits test the LH (luteinizing hormone) level. LH is a pituitary hormone that simulates the egg release of the ovaries. The kit will measure any surge in LH and let you know that you are ovulating.

A thyroid dysfunction can also lead to menstrual irregularities. Ovulation is only the first step in getting pregnant. Also important is the luteal phase. That's the time between when ovulation occurs and when menstruation starts. This should last anywhere between 13 to 15 days and is an essential time during which the fertilized egg is nurtured. A luteal phase that is shorter than normal could cause you to lose very early pregnancies because the body would be unable to sustain the fertilized egg.

There are other ways that an unhealthy thyroid may cause infertility problems, but these ways are lesser understood by doctors. One example of this is the increase in prolactin that can be caused by hypothyroidism. Excess of this hormone can prevent ovulation, cause irregular cycles, or even cause you to miss cycles.

Having a thyroid problem doesn't mean that you are infertile for life. In fact, if you've been wondering why you have trouble conceiving, learning that you have a thyroid problem can be a blessing because you now know what steps you must take to get pregnant.

So, what should you do if you think a thyroid problem may be causing your infertility. First, get an ovulation kit from your pharmacy or click here to get one from Amazon. Then make an appointment with your doctor to be tested for thyroid antibodies.

The normal TSH levels of pregnant women who didn't have an autoimmune thyroid disease is 0.9. Some doctors feel that TSH levels of 3-5 are OK for pregnancy but others feel that levels of 2 or less are the best for not only conceiving but for having a successful pregnancy as well.