Trying to Conceive - Husband has Hypothyroid of Range 40
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I am trying to conceive but nothing positive is happening. I am quite healthy & got a few tests done like hormone, glucose, protein, blood pressure, etc... and all were normal.
My husband has hypo-thyroid in the range of 40. Can this be a cause of delay in pregnancy? Can this affect our child's development in case I get pregnant?
Should he consult a doctor before family planning?
Please suggest...I am worried :-(
Regards,
Rachita Kamal
ANSWER
You don't mention how old either of you are, or how long you have been charting and trying to get pregnant, which would be important information.
If your husband is hypothyroid (not sure which lab result you are referring to), that can almost always be corrected with medication. If you are concerned, your husband can submit a simple sperm sample to check that everything is ok. If he is, and you are under 35 and have been trying for at least a year, it is time for you to have an infertility work-up.
Good luck!
-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
