The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck, produces hormones that regulate metabolism, including heart rate, pulse and calorie burning. Women have a higher incidence of thyroid disease than men, reports the New York Thyroid Center and the Office on Women's Health. They are more likely to develop thyroid disorders at a younger age, and up to 10 percent develop thyroid problems after pregnancy. Thyroid disorders cause many menstrual abnormalities.
Puberty
Both overactive and underactive thyroid can affect puberty, causing a girl to have her first period before the age of 9, or, alternately, delaying her first period to after age 15, reports the New York Thyroid Center.
Is is extremely important to consult an experienced specialist in these cases, as thyroid disease can also be caused by abnormal menstruation, as in the case of Turner's syndrome, a genetic disease of malformed ovaries that results in no periods and increased risk for underactive thyroid.
Hyperthyroidism
An overactive thyroid, which is called hyperthyroidism, may cause a woman to have less-frequent periods, reports the New York Thyroid Center, or else periods stop altogether.
Graves' disease--a hyperthyroid disorder in which the immune system makes antibodies that attack the thyroid by mistake, causing it to produce too much thyroid hormone--causes a lighter menstrual flow and less-frequent periods, reports the Office on Women's Health.
Hypothryoidism
Underactive thyroid, which is called hypothyroidism, slows down all the processes in the body, impacting a woman much in the same manner as premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, reports the New York Thyroid Center. Hypothyroidism worsens PMS that already exists, causing women to feel especially bloated, fat and depressed. They may be tired and moody.
Unlike women with hyperthyroidism, those with an underactive thyroid are likely to have heavier periods that occur more frequently.
Considerations
The risk for hypothyroidism is high in women in their late 40s or early 50s, which is also the age at which menopause sets in, reports the New York Thyroid Center. Thyroid problems can cause menopause to begin earlier, which is called premature menopause.
Certain symptoms of menopause overlap with those of overactive thyroid, including missed periods, heat intolerance, hot flashes and sleep problems. Mood swings caused by thyroid problems may be attributed to "the change of life."
Importance of Diagnosis
it is extremely important for women of all ages to get a proper diagnosis from an experienced specialist. This is particularly true for women of menopausal age, who may have a thyroid problem instead of the onset of menopause, reports the New York Thyroid Center.
Once the thyroid problem is resolved with treatment, older women's periods may resume until natural menopause occurs. The restoration of normal menstruation helps preserve the body's bone mass, delaying the risk for osteoporosis.
