The thyroid is a gland located in the neck that creates hormones responsible for normal metabolism. The connection between the thyroid and menstruation varies, depending on whether a woman's thyroid is working normally, working too hard, or not working hard enough. If the thyroid is working as it should, it most likely has no effect on a woman's menstrual cycle. An overactive thyroid, also known as "overactive," or an underactive thyroid, known as "underactive," can lead to abnormal menstruation cycles, as well as other problems.
When a person's thyroid is overactive, it is known as hyperthyroidism. As a result of this condition, a woman's thyroid may produce more hormones than her body needs. Girls who have hyperactive thyroid and menstruation problems may not get their period until after the age of 15. Women experiencing this problem will typically have very light and very irregular periods.
When it comes to the thyroid and menstruation, an excessive amount of thyroid hormones often means that a woman may develop amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea. The problem of amenorrhea refers to the complete absence of a menstrual cycle in a woman. There are two different types of amenorrhea; the first is called primary amenorrhea, in which a woman has never developed a period, and the other is secondary amenorrhea, where a woman's menstrual cycle begins but then stops occurring. Oligomenorrhea, on the other hand, is the condition of infrequent periods, diagnosed when a woman has only six or eight periods in an entire year.
Another problem that occurs due to the connection between the thyroid and menstruation is hypothyroidism. In this condition, the thyroid does not produce enough of the hormones that the body needs, so the metabolism becomes much slower. Many young girls with this problem start their periods before the age of ten. This condition can cause symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, depression, and mood swings, and will often lead to heavy periods and much more frequent periods than normal.
Women who experience underactive menstruation and thyroid problems sometimes develop a problem known as menorrhagia. With this problem, a woman's periods can become much heavier and occur for longer periods. Another problem that can occur is dysmenorrhea, which causes extremely painful periods. This problem can cause severe cramps and pain in a woman's arms, legs, back, and head. Problems with a person's intestines can also occur due to dysmenorrhea, which causes irregular bowel movements.