Thyroid, fertility + miscarriage 🌸 A new study has found that 20% of women (1 in 5!) with a history of miscarriage or difficulty getting pregnant have subclinical hypothyroidism.⠀

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👉🏼This is the perfect example of why you want your health to be ‘optimal’ not just ‘within the normal range’

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Subclinical hypothyroidism is defined as under-active thyroid function where thyroid hormone values are still within the ‘normal range’ on lab-work, but not within an ‘optimal range’. ⁠⠀

Women falling within this ‘normal range’ would not normally be considered for thyroid hormone treatment

HOWEVER both the Endocrine Society and The American Reproductive Society suggest that women who have a TSH greater than 2.5 mIU/L and/or are thyroid antibody positive should be be considered for treatment with thyroid medication if there is a history or miscarriage or infertility.⁠⠀
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Subclinical hypothyroidism has also been associated with preterm birth and preeclampsia. ⠀

How Naturopathic Fertility Support Can Help:

I provide Fertility Support to help patients through pre-conception care, pregnancy and beyond. By looking at fertility through a holistic lens, we work towards a comprehensive plan that takes into account all aspects of health and its effect on fertility. I have advanced training in fertility support and offer pre + post IVF acupuncture. 

• An Individualized Treatment Plan to help:
  • Address underlying concerns (e.g. PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, thyroid)⁣⠀
  • Help you determine if and when you’re ovulating to understand your fertile window
  • Improve egg quality and uterine lining health⁣⠀
  • Improve sperm health⁣⠀
  • Optimize nutrition and pre-conception diet
  • Balance hormones⁣
  • Regulate menstrual cycles
  • Manage stress and lifestyle⁣⠀
  • Support integrative fertility methods (IVF, IUI etc)⁣⠀
• Preconception Check-Up
  • At our first visit we’ll talk about your goals, reproductive + health history, cycles, complete pre-conception blood tests, physical exams and talk about other conditions that may be making it difficult to conceive like PCOS, thyroid conditions, obesity, autoimmune conditions, endometriosis, diabetes + more.
• Comprehensive Lab Testing
  • In order to ovulate, conceive and maintain a pregnancy, we must have optimal levels of hormones. I run comprehensive lab testing if necessary to help us understand your health better and guide treatments to improve fertility. This can include Estrogen (Estradiol), LH: FSH ratio, Progesterone, Insulin and/or HbA1C, TSH (and T3, T4, anti-TPO), Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH).
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
  • Pre-and-post natal concerns including labor and delivery preparation, pain, leakage, tearing or episiotomy support. Learn more here!
• Integrative Fertility Support
  • I’m happy to offer integrative fertility support to help improve fertility alongside other conventional therapy such as IVF, IUI and cycle monitoring.
• Equal Access for All
  • I am proud to provide LGBTQ2S friendly services in my practice and provide equal access for all individuals and couples looking to optimize their fertility.

If you are interested in optimizing your hormonal health, fertility + pregnancy support, I am a Naturopathic Doctor in Toronto, Mississauga and Vaughan. I have additional training in Integrative Fertility Methods and would love to help you reach your health goals. 

In health,

Dr. Courtney Ranieri, ND

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If you or someone you know is struggling with fertility or hormonal concerns, let’s work together to ⁠optimize your health ✨⠀

References:

https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaa302