🙋♀️One in eight women will develop thyroid problems during her lifetime
Thyroid hormone levels that are too high or too low can affect your energy, mood, and weight – making you feel unusually tired, restless, or causing weight changes. Women are significantly more likely than men to develop thyroid conditions, particularly after pregnancy and during or after menopause.
In women, thyroid diseases can cause:
Problems with your menstrual period: Your thyroid helps control your menstrual cycle. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can make your periods very light, heavy, or irregular.
Problems getting pregnant: When thyroid disease affects the menstrual cycle, it also affects ovulation. This can make it harder for you to get pregnant. A poorly functioning thyroid is an often overlooked factor for couples who are struggling to conceive. It’s advised that if you have been trying to conceive for longer than a year, you should check your thyroid is functioning correctly before starting other medical procedures.
Problems during pregnancy: Thyroid problems during pregnancy can cause health problems for the mother and the baby. It’s advised to have thyroid blood tests every four to six weeks during pregnancy and a further test a few weeks after delivery.
The risk for women is about 10 times higher than for men.
❔What steps can you take to look after your thyroid?
- Treatment for thyroid disease depends on the type of condition and the cause. The goal is to return your thyroid hormone levels to a healthy range.
- If you have symptoms of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism or notice a change in your neck’s appearance where your thyroid is, see a healthcare provider.
- An ultrasound is an essential tool for diagnosing thyroid conditions; it is often used to assess the size, shape, and structure of the thyroid, helping to identify any nodules, cysts, or abnormalities that may require further investigation or treatment.
🩺Thyroid Ultrasound Scan at firstScanHealth
By booking a Thyroid Ultrasound scan, you are taking proactive steps in managing your thyroid health and ensuring that any abnormalities are detected early, before they can lead to more serious health issues.
Why Book?
- Evaluate thyroid nodules – ultrasound can identify thyroid nodules that are not palpable during a physical exam
- Assess symptoms of Thyroid conditions – symptoms indicate conditions such as hyperthyroidism (increased heart rate, anxiety, weight loss) or hypothyroidism (fatigue, weight gain, depression)
- Guide procedures – ultrasound can be used to guide fine needle aspiration biopsies of thyroid nodules or the thyroid gland
- Screening for high-risk individuals – individuals with a family history of thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 may undergo routine ultrasounds
- Monitoring – post-treatment monitoring for patients who have undergone interventions for thyroid cancer or other thyroid-related treatments