How Hormonal Imbalances Affect Female Fertility?

ByRiddhi Roy
Updated:21 Apr 2025, 11:39 am

Female fertility is highly influenced by hormonal levels. These hormones regulate several functions such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy outcomes and ovulation. Stress, thyroid disorders, or PCOS can cause hormonal imbalances. Irregular cycles, acne or sudden weight change are key giveaways of hormonal imbalances in your body. However, these can be treated by fertility care, hormone therapy and a change in diet and lifestyle.

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Hormonal Imbalanace
Hormones are like chemical messengers inside your body, which are responsible for regulating a plethora of bodily functions. The endocrine glands in your body produce these hormones and release them into the bloodstream to assist functions such as reproduction, metabolism, and body development and growth.

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Hormones are considered chemical messengers because they give directions to various organs in your body and assist them in functioning properly. However, an imbalance of these chemical messengers can disrupt the entire flow of your body and cause severe conditions, such as PCOS and thyroid disorders, that can ultimately affect your fertility.


Hormonal Imbalances and Female Fertility: An Overview

Hormones instruct various organs of your body to perform certain functions and also help to commence these operations.

They flow with your blood and reach various parts of your body, such as skin, organs, tissues or muscles. Hormones are extremely important for your body to function properly.

But how are hormones secreted?

Certain tissues called glands produce hormones. These chemical messengers and their glands form a complex network called the endocrine system.

Various functions in our body are regulated by hormones, such as metabolism, homeostasis, sexual functions, circadian cycle (sleep cycle), mood and reproductive health.

These elements also play a crucial role in female reproductive functions. They impact women's fertility drastically, as:

  • For pregnancy to progress, hormones must instruct the body to move ahead with the development of the egg.
  • The thickening of the endometrium or the release of the egg during ovulation is controlled by hormones.
  • After successful fertilisation, the embryo moves for implantation.
Since a lot of crucial processes depend upon the level of hormones in your body, a slight imbalance can significantly affect your reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes.


Which Hormones Impact Women’s Fertility?

Various hormones work in harmony to carry out different functions in your body. Certain functions, such as regulating your menstrual cycle or maintaining your uterine health, are controlled by hormones. Some of the most common hormones that impact women’s fertility include:


Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

  • Secreted by: The Pituitary gland in your brain
  • Function: Fertility and the menstrual cycle depend upon the production of this hormone. Along with the Luteinising Hormone (LH), this controls ovulation by overseeing the development of ovarian follicles. FSH also promotes oestrogen production, which is necessary for maintaining a healthy menstrual cycle and fertility.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH)

  • Secreted by: Ovarian follicles
  • Function: This hormone is helpful in sustaining immature eggs. Fertility clinics often measure the level of AMH to check women’s fertility health. Low levels of this hormone might be an indicator of fewer remaining eggs, but high levels of AMH might be a symptom of PCOS.

Luteinising Hormone (LH)

  • Secreted by: The Pituitary gland in your brain.
  • Function: This is a crucial pillar for regulating the menstrual cycle and ovarian health. FSH and LH work in pairs to control the release of eggs during ovulation. Imbalances in LH levels can lead to irregular cycles or complications with fertility.

Oestrogen

  • Secreted by: Ovaries.
  • Function: This hormone is crucial for a lot of aspects of fertility, such as ovulation, conception and pregnancy outcomes. During pregnancy, your endometrium prepares the uterus for implantation by thickening itself. This is controlled by oestrogen along with the development of the egg. You can go through irregular cycles because of low levels of oestrogen.

Progesterone

  • Secreted by: Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum, a temporary gland formed after ovulation.
  • Function: This supports a woman's ability to conceive a baby and also helps with the menstrual cycle. Progesterone prepares the endometrium for possible implantation by stopping its development. This hormone is extremely crucial to sustaining pregnancy, and it’ll keep rising throughout the period.

Thyroid hormones

  • Secreted by: The Thyroid gland at the base of your neck.
  • Function: Uterine and ovarian functions are controlled by T3 and T4 hormones.

Prolactin

  • Secreted by: Anterior pituitary gland.
  • Function: The most prominent function of this hormone is the creation of breast milk. An imbalance in prolactin levels can lead to unhealthy ovarian functions and an irregular menstrual cycle.

Signs of Hormonal Imbalances in Women

Hormonal imbalances in women are evident, and addressing them in a timely manner is necessary. These abnormalities in the natural level of these chemical messengers depend upon which gland is causing them. The signs on your body might vary:

  • Irregular periods

A lot of women nowadays have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is the reason several women face irregular periods. This results in an imbalance in female reproductive hormones, which results in delayed or skipped periods.

  • Lower libido

An imbalance in oestrogen levels can be the reason behind a lower sex drive. It might also cause complications during intercourse as lower oestrogen levels can lead to vaginal dryness.

  • Sudden weight fluctuations

PCOS, high cortisol levels in your blood and low levels of thyroid hormones can be the reason for sudden weight fluctuations in your body.

  • Infertility

Since hormonal imbalance affects your menstrual cycle, the thickening of your uterine wall or the release of eggs from the ovary is also compromised. This ultimately damages your fertility and might lead to complications during pregnancy.

  • Insomnia

An imbalance of progesterone can be the reason for insomnia. This hormone relaxes your body, so an irregular level of this hormone can cause difficulty in sleeping.

  • Bloating

The inner wall of your alimentary canal is budded with oestrogen and progesterone receptors. An imbalance of these hormones might affect your digestive processes and lead to stomach issues such as bloating or indigestion.

  • Mood swings

Hormonal fluctuations cause mood swings, as evident during periods. There might be sudden episodes of rage or mental breakdowns, implying how significantly these hormones affect your emotions. However, it can also result from fluctuating thyroid levels.

Effects of Hormonal Imbalances on Female Fertility

Hormonal imbalances affect female fertility severely. Two significant issues that arise with irregular levels of hormones in your body are:

  • Disruption of ovulation

Ovulation is disrupted or completely stopped due to several problems that arise from an irregular level of hormones in your body, such as:

  • Thyroid hormone problems
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
If irregular ovulation or abnormalities caused by hormonal imbalances aren't addressed in a timely manner, then you might face complications during conception. Your chance of pregnancy may drop drastically and even touch zero because pregnancy is impossible without ovulation taking place.

  • Unhealthy luteal phase

Progesterone regulates the length of the luteal phase, which follows ovulation. This hormone is also crucial for maintaining the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus), as it fortifies the womb. A shorter luteal phase means the egg wouldn't get enough time to implant, leading to lower rates of pregnancy.


Causes of Hormonal Imbalances in Women

Hormone levels can be unstable in your body, and that’s completely normal as hormones fluctuate by nature. So their levels are always rising and falling, whether it's at night or while waking up. There can be several reasons behind imbalances in hormone levels, and some of them are related to your age, while others depend on your lifestyle.

  • Hormone levels change at different phases of your life

Hormones fluctuate a lot during certain periods in your life, such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. The main spike in hormone levels starts from puberty, and the entire growth of your body depends on hormones (growth hormones).

Pregnancy is highly influenced by reproductive hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. Towards menopause, hormone levels usually drop.

  • Common cause of hormone fluctuation

Hormonal imbalances might be caused by other factors, too, but some of the most common reasons behind irregular hormone levels are stress, certain medications, and using steroids.

The imbalances caused by these reasons are not to be worried about, as they can be managed by medication or a change in lifestyle.

  • Chronic hormone-related conditions

An individual suffering from these conditions has more severe and medically impactful hormone imbalances, and the reasons can vary, such as tumours, adenomas, damaged endocrine glands and autoimmune conditions.

Treating Hormonal Imbalances in Women

The treatment of hormonal imbalances depends on the reason that's causing it. Some women might be facing conditions caused by low levels of hormones, while others might be facing excessive levels of hormones in their bodies.

  • If the hormonal level is lower than normal

For women with hormonal levels lower than the natural level, replacement therapy is used. Depending on the condition and severity of the lack of hormones, two methods are generally used for this:

  • Oral medication (pills): Hypothyroidism is caused due to low levels of thyroid hormone. Synthetic hormone pills can ensure replacement therapy for this condition.
  • Injection medications: Low levels of growth hormone are managed with shots of synthetic growth hormone.

  • If the hormonal level is higher than normal

There are certain ways to deal with excessive hormones in your blood that go beyond the natural limit. These methods might be medication, surgery or radiation therapy.

Sometimes, even a combination of these methods is used to treat the condition, such as for prolactinoma. This condition causes high levels of prolactin in your body and is treated with medication to minimise the benign tumour or surgery to remove it completely, depending upon the severity.

  • Changing lifestyle to treat hormonal imbalances

Apart from medical intervention, hormones can be regulated naturally by changing certain aspects of your lifestyle. Staying physically active and managing stress can play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy level of hormones in your body. Similarly, several other aspects need to be changed sometimes, such as diet.


Prevention of Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal imbalances cannot be cured, and the imbalances are persistent over time. However, certain practices can help you improve your health altogether and maintain a healthy level of hormones in your body.

  • Working out regularly and staying physically fit.
  • Try to keep a healthy weight.
  • Consume a balanced diet, packed with essential nutrients.
  • Balancing stress and anxiety by doing activities such as meditation and yoga.
  • Getting proper sleep.
  • Refrain from smoking or drinking alcohol.
  • Treating chronic health conditions that might influence your hormone levels.
Hormones regulate a plethora of reproductive functions in your body, such as uterine conditioning and the menstrual cycle. An imbalance of these chemical messengers can affect your fertility significantly. Health conditions like thyroid disorders, PCOS or high prolactin levels might occur due to hormonal imbalances, and these can interfere with your pregnancy outcomes.

However, hormonal levels can be restored through hormone therapy, following a healthy lifestyle and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). If you're facing a persistent irregular cycle, multiple miscarriages or struggling to conceive for over a year now, consulting a doctor is also advised.


FAQs on How Hormonal Imbalances Affect Female Fertility

  1. How to diagnose hormonal imbalances?
    Healthcare professionals use several methods, such as blood tests, which are a common way to measure the levels of hormones like thyroid, progesterone, prolactin, LH, FSH and oestrogen. Ultrasound is also used to check the ovaries and the uterus.
  2. Does it take a while for women to restore their hormonal levels?
    There isn't a general standard for the restoration of hormonal levels, as it depends on person to person. Some women can recover quickly, while others might take longer than six months or a year. However, consistent treatment and monitoring of your hormone levels can be helpful.

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