Women and Thyroid Disease

Thyroid disorders are more common in women than in men. Yet thyroid disease is under-diagnosed in women, putting them at risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis and infertility. Thyroid cancer, also more common in women, is easily discovered when a lump is noticed in the neck.

The thyroid gland is butterfly-shaped and wraps around the windpipe just below the Adam's apple. Weighing less than one ounce, the thyroid gland produces hormones that affect your metabolism (how quickly your body uses nutrients and produces energy). It also influences heart rate, digestion, reproduction and reflexes.

Symptoms of thyroid disorders may be obvious or hard to detect. Thyroid cancer often has no symptoms, but is discovered when a lump is noticed.

Symptoms

Signs of over-active thyroid (hyperthyroidism):

• Nervousness
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Intolerance to heat
• Heart palpitations
• Weight loss despite healthy appetite
• Absence of menstrual period
• Muscle weakness

Signs of under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism):

• Weakness
• Intolerance to cold
• Dry skin
• Headache
• Poor memory
• Mild weight gain with lack of appetite
• Swelling of face, arms and legs
• Constipation

Pregnancy

About 8 percent of women carry thyroid auto-antibodies (antibodies that attack their own tissue). They may have difficulty getting pregnant and are more likely to miscarry. If you have trouble becoming pregnant, see your doctor, who will perform a thyroid exam and a simple blood test.

Routine prenatal care doesn't include thyroid testing. Tell your obstetrician about any of the following:

• A history of thyroid disorders
• Thyroid disease in a close relative
• Changes in your thyroid gland
• Symptoms of hyper- or hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland works overtime during pregnancy and produces extra hormones if you breastfeed. Thyroid enlargement is normal during pregnancy, and may or may not be noticeable. Thyroid disorders during pregnancy include Grave's disease, hypothyroidism and thyroiditis. These are all treatable with medication. Hypothyroidism can also cause post-partum depression.

Menopause

During menopause, such symptoms as mood swings, weight gain, weight loss and sleep disturbances are common. About one third of the women who take hormone replacement experience symptoms of a thyroid disorder.

Seniors

After age 65, thyroid disorders are still more common in women than men. In younger women, Grave's disease causes most hyperthyroidism. In seniors, Plummer's disease - characterized by a lumpy or nodular thyroid gland - is the most common cause of an overactive thyroid. Hyperthyroidism occurs when nodules produce more hormones than the body needs. Symptoms of an overactive thyroid may be more subtle in seniors. Hyperthyroidism with Grave's ophthalmopathy (bulging eyes) is less common in women over 65.

Bumps in the neck

If you notice a thyroid lump or a new bump in an already-enlarged thyroid, contact your doctor for evaluation.

How to check your thyroid gland:

1. Look in the mirror and focus on your thyroid gland, between the Adam's apple and collarbone.
2. Tip your head back slightly.
3. Sip some water and watch your thyroid gland. As your Adam's apple moves with each swallow, look for bulges, bumps or any irregularities on your thyroid gland. Most thyroid glands are barely visible unless there is an abnormality.

Related Articles Thyroid Ailments Hard to Recognize Thyroid Function Tests Thyroid Ultrasound

External Source American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Hypothyroidism. Accessed May 29, 2007.

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

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