It is no secret that almost all processes in the human body are regulated by hormones. A favorable hormonal background is especially important during pregnancy and at the planning stage.
In this article, we will talk about how the TSH hormone can affect the conception and bearing of a child, and why its level should be given special attention.
What it is?
One of the most important hormones - thyroid-stimulating hormone - is hidden behind the abbreviated name "TSH". It is produced in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and takes an active part in the work of the nervous system, sexual function, as well as the activity of many internal organs.
TSH, also called thyrotropin, affects the receptors of the thyroid gland. As a result of this interaction, thyroxine begins to be produced. The processes that accompany this have a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland, its cells begin to absorb iodine better.
In addition to thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) is also produced, synthesis under the influence of TSH takes no more than a minute. These two hormone derivatives are hormones that have the most important function of controlling growth and development.
The more T4 (thyroxine) is produced in the thyroid gland, the less the pituitary gland will produce TSH. This relationship is called feedback. Accordingly, the TSH level rises if the thyroid gland produces less T4.
Throughout the day, TSH is produced at different rates and quantities. The pituitary gland produces most of the hormone between 2 and 4 am, by 8 am the concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the human body decreases. The daily minimum occurs at 17-18 hours. It is no coincidence that women who are planning a pregnancy and have already become pregnant are advised to get enough sleep.
When sleep is disturbed, when awake at night, the synthesis of TSH is disrupted, which cannot but affect the health of the thyroid gland in particular and the general well-being of the woman in general.
The older a person becomes, the more TSH he has, although the nightly injection of the substance becomes insufficient. In pregnant women, TSH is always lower.
The role of thyroid-stimulating hormone can hardly be overestimated. It participates in the production of proteins, stimulates metabolic processes, helps the body not to freeze or overheat, regulating heat exchange.
The level of glucose in the blood is under the control of TSH, and the hormone also takes part in the production of erythrocytes - red blood cells.
Significance when planning
The TSH test is mandatory for all women who go to the doctor with complaints about the inability to get pregnant and requests to help plan a pregnancy correctly. Fortunately, in recent years, the number of couples who choose to properly plan a child has been growing. Spouses themselves understand the need to check their own health before conceiving a baby.
A TSH test is done to assess the functioning of the thyroid gland. Increased or insufficient production of hormones T3 and T4 by it is necessarily reflected in the level of TSH. If it is elevated, then the thyroid gland produces insufficient hormones, if it is lowered, we are talking about the excessive work of the thyroid gland.
Significant excess of the TSH level during scheduling in a woman's blood may indicate ovarian dysfunction, which means that it will be difficult to conceive a child, IVF may be needed, sometimes even with the use of a donor egg.
Decreased hormonal production can also negatively affect the future. If pregnancy does occur, then the lack of growth and development hormones can lead to the death of the baby in utero, to the occurrence of delays in its development, to a frozen pregnancy.
TSH rate when planning pregnancy - table:
Significance during pregnancy
If a woman previously had miscarriages that did not develop pregnancies, then the TSH level should be investigated at the planning stage. If previously there were problems with the thyroid gland, then it is advisable to take tests every three months. Thus, the TSH level is examined three times.
During pregnancy, thyroid-stimulating hormone levels decreases naturally. In the first place are other hormones - progesterone and chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), whose task is to preserve the fetus.
However, the role of thyrotropin cannot be underestimated - it is needed so that the baby has the opportunity to grow and develop, because the growth hormones T4 and T3 cannot be synthesized without the influence of TSH on the thyroid gland.
From conception to the 10th week of pregnancy, the baby cannot produce its own hormones, so that his cells grow normally, he needs to take the necessary hormones from the mother's blood. That is why at the beginning of pregnancy, at the very early stages, the level of thyrotropin drops, because the baby needs T4 and T3, and they are stimulated by hCG, which is produced by the membranes.
After 12 weeks of pregnancy, when the level of human chorionic gonadotropic hormone reaches its peak, hCG begins to decline, and TSH "rises" again. This smooth, slow growth continues until the very end of gestation.
TSH norm for pregnant women - table:
How and when to get tested?
At the planning stage of pregnancy, blood should be donated for analysis several days before the visit to the doctor in the month preceding the month of the intended conception. It should be remembered that the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone during the day does not differ in stability. The best time to visit a treatment room or laboratory is between 8 am and 11 am.
Before conceiving a baby TSH rented in conjunction with the determination of the level of other hormones important for reproductive function... To assess fertility, it is important to assess the level of free T4, as well as luteinizing hormone and FSH, a hormone that stimulates follicular growth. It is best to donate blood for such a test on the fifth or seventh day after the next period has begun.
Two or three days before the test, it is not recommended to eat fatty and spicy dishes, a large amount of sweets. Alcohol should be excluded. On the day of blood donation, you should stop smoking for the most accurate results. Blood is given on an empty stomach.
During pregnancy, a referral for hormonal analysis is issued upon registration, if the doctor has doubts about the normal functioning of the thyroid gland in the expectant mother. This may be indicated by her medical history, in which there are miscarriages and missed pregnancies, as well as some external signs, for example, goiter. Subsequently, such pregnant women undergo a blood test for the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone once every trimester.
The analysis itself is submitted according to the same rules as most analyzes. A woman should limit herself to fatty and sweet foods for several days. The last meal should be no later than 6-7 hours before visiting the laboratory.
Since the amount of TSH is closely related to how the expectant mother slept at night, you need to make sure that the night before was sufficient so that the woman was able to rest well. You should also protect yourself from nervous situations, stress and increased physical exertion.
If the expectant mother is taking any hormonal drugs, for example, to maintain pregnancy, the analysis may be postponed, since the accuracy of the test with hormone therapy is significantly reduced.
The rest of the medications are recommended to be temporarily canceled a few days in advance, and if this is not possible, then be sure to inform the doctor about them before donating blood for TSH.
Decoding the result and deviation
To talk about the normal or abnormal content of thyroid-stimulating hormone in a woman's blood, you need to know her personal, individual TSH rate, therefore, if the result is exceeded or severely underestimated, it is recommended to donate blood again.
The doctor should be responsible for decoding the analysis., as well as the search for the true cause of deviations in the main indicators.
Increased rate
If the result is unsatisfactory, and the TSH index is overestimated, this may indicate insufficient thyroid function, lack of growth hormones for the normal development of the child in the mother's womb.
Inflated thyrotropin levels can indicate:
- mental disorders in the expectant mother;
- violations of the adrenal glands;
- some tumor processes, especially pituitary tumors;
- iodine deficiency in the body;
- exposure to the body of certain medications and toxic substances;
- the development of preeclampsia.
Sometimes an increased TSH is observed in expectant mothers, whose work is associated with heavy physical exertion, as well as in women involved in professional sports.
Women with elevated TSH usually get tired faster, more often feel "overwhelmed", suffer from problems with falling asleep, insomnia. They have visually paler skin, a lower temperature may be recorded, since thyroid-stimulating hormone also affects thermoregulation. Their weight can grow for almost no reason, their appetite decreases.
Decreased indicator
If a blood test showed that the concentration of thyrotropin tends to zero, the reason may lie in multiple pregnancies, because two or three babies two or three times increase the secretion of hCG, respectively, TSH drops to almost zero.
If a woman is carrying one baby, then the doctor will certainly consider other possible reasons for a decrease in hormonal levels:
- problems with the activity of the pituitary gland;
- long-term use of hormonal drugs;
- experienced severe nervous stress;
- an excess of thyroid hormones:
- toxic goiter.
Women with pathologically low TSH values more often suffer from headaches and high blood pressure, they almost constantly want to eat ("ravenous appetite").
They may have strange sensations of trembling in the body, in the limbs, their pulse is high, and their body temperature often rises. A low amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone can cause emotional "explosions and storms" that are characteristic of women with a lack of TSH.
Deviations from the norms when planning pregnancy
A few years ago, doctors believed that the normal TSH values for women of reproductive age should be a concentration of 2.5 μIU / ml. Today, experts will not prescribe treatment to correct hormonal levels if the concentration exceeds the predetermined value of 2.5 μIU / ml.
Recent research in endocrinology has shown that only TSH can be considered elevated at a level exceeding 4 μIU / ml.
Decreased levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone can cause hormonal infertility or miscarriage of a baby, too high values (more than 5 μIU / ml) can lead to dysfunctional changes in the ovaries. In any case, the woman is prescribed treatment, and only after that the couple is allowed to conceive a baby.
Treatment
The influence of TSH on the ability to conceive, on carrying a baby is great, and it is dangerous and reckless to underestimate this substance. If the analysis for free TSH deviates from normal values, this cannot be ignored.
For a woman who is not pregnant, like a future mother, it is recommended to register with an endocrinologist. Only this specialist is able to prescribe competent treatment, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.
I would especially like to emphasize that an increase in TSH during carrying a baby, as well as a decrease in it, only increase certain risks, and do not speak of a 100% pathology in a baby. Therefore, a woman should calm down and follow the recommendations of the attending physician.
Usually, an increased level of the hormone needs correction, especially if its concentration is higher than 7 μIU / ml. In this case, a synthetic analogue of the thyroxine hormone, L-thyroxine or Eutirox, can be prescribed.
With an insignificant excess, iodine preparations will help to save the situation.
Find out all about the connection between pregnancy and the thyroid gland in the following video.
