Document Detail


Pituitary diseases in pregnancy.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9880116     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Pituitary adenomas are the most common pituitary disorder affecting pregnancy, and prolactinomas are the most common of the hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas. Hyperprolactinemia must be corrected to allow ovulation and fertility. Bromocriptine has been shown to be safe for use during early gestation. There is less than a 2% risk of microprolactinoma enlargement during pregnancy but a greater than 15% risk of symptomatic enlargement of a macroprolactinoma. Treatment options for patients with macroadenomas include stopping bromocriptine when pregnancy is diagnosed and reinstituting with tumor enlargement, continuous bromocriptine throughout pregnancy, and prepregnancy tumor debulking by surgery. The diagnosis of acromegaly may be difficult to make during pregnancy and relies, in part, on the persistence of the normal pulsatile secretion of growth hormone and loss of this secretory characteristic with a tumor. The growth hormone oversecretion may exacerbate tendencies to gestational diabetes, fluid retention, and hypertension. Treatment for acromegaly and other tumors generally may be deferred until after delivery. There are rare reports of enlargement of clinically nonfunctioning and growth hormone secreting tumors during pregnancy, and surveillance is needed. Tumors may need to be differentiated from lymphocytic hypophysitis. Patients with chronic hypopituitarism usually will need treatment with gonadotropins or pulsatile GnRH to become pregnant and may need increased steroid coverage during labor and delivery. Hypopituitarism developing during pregnancy is usually caused by lymphocytic hypophysitis and usually also will require steroid replacement therapy. Hypopituitarism arising postpartum may be caused by either lymphocytic hypophysitis or Sheehan's syndrome, and the latter may present as an acute or chronic syndrome. Borderline diabetes insipidus may manifest during pregnancy because of increased vasopressin degradation caused by markedly increased levels of placental vasopressinase. Treatment with desmopressin usually is satisfactory. Patients presenting with either anterior or posterior pituitary insufficiency in the peripartum period should always be evaluated for function of the other portion of the pituitary.
Authors:
M E Molitch
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Seminars in perinatology     Volume:  22     ISSN:  0146-0005     ISO Abbreviation:  Semin. Perinatol.     Publication Date:  1998 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1999-03-11     Completed Date:  1999-03-11     Revised Date:  2005-11-16    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7801132     Medline TA:  Semin Perinatol     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  457-70     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Center for Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acromegaly / therapy
Diabetes Insipidus / therapy
Female
Humans
Hypopituitarism / therapy
Pituitary Diseases* / diagnosis,  pathology,  therapy
Pituitary Neoplasms / therapy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications*
Prolactinoma / therapy

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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