The fertility factor

And the Oscar for best supporting role in having a child goes to… your thyroid. Dysfunction can play a part in irregular ovulation and cycle frequency and affect the uterine lining where implantation occurs – making it harder to conceive or carry. Dr Sapna Shah, endocrinologist with online clinic Paloma Health, was diagnosed with infertilityassociated hypothyroidism herself. ‘I’d been an endocrinologist for a long time, yet I wasn’t aware that it was going on in my body,’ she says. If you’re having a hard time conceiving, talk to your GP or fertility specialist about your thyroid. You may have to maintain specific thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) ranges to maximise your chances of conceiving and having a baby.