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The Thyroid is the 3rd Ovary.

fertility thyroid

Have you ever heard the saying “the thyroid is the 3rd ovary”?

Not only can the thyroid gland look similar to our ovaries, but its relationship to them is much more important than that.

The thyroid is an important gland that impacts how we uptake and utilize nutrients. It can also impact how our body responds to other hormones, including as estrogen and progesterone.

The body has many different axes. The most commonly known one is probably the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis. Another is the HPG (hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal) axis. And we can’t forget the HPT (hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid) axis.

Dr. Jolene Brighten also talks about the ovarian-adrenal-thyroid (OAT) axis, in her book “Beyond the Pill.” While these may seem like separate axes, when one of these relationships is off, it impacts the rest.

The reason I bring this up is because many of us with period problems are often only looking at the relationship between the brain and the ovaries. But we simply can’t forget that the thyroid plays a huge role in our fertility as well.

This brings us back to 1925. In his book, “Your Mysterious Glands,” Herman Harold Rubin references the work of Dr. Henry Harrower in an excerpt called “The Thyroid is the Third Ovary.” He quotes Dr. Harrower’s observation:

“I might say in passing, that the idea of considering the intimacy of the thyroid and ovaries came to me as I was studying in Paris a number of years ago...Paul Dalche, one of the physicians at the famous old Hotel Dieu, routinely ordered a combination of thyroid with ovarian substance in all ovarian cases that came to his gynecological dispensary service there...The reason for this treatment was very brief: ‘The thyroid is always involved in these ovarian cases.’”

When approaching a health issue, it’s easy to try and compartmentalize things. Unfortunately, this can lead us chasing down rabbit-holes in a vicious cycle. We have to remember that the body is very sophisticated - way more than we give it credit for. Often the most successful path will be one that approaches things holistically.

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Not medical advice.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.

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References

Harrower, H.R. (1922). Practical Organotherapy. Glendale, CA: The Harrower Laboratory.

Rubin, H.H. (1925). Your Mysterious Glands. United States, Hand's Publishing Company.

 

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.