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. 2013 Nov;17(6):996-1004.
doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.122608.

Pregnancy and pituitary disorders: Challenges in diagnosis and management

Bashir A Laway  1 , Shahnaz A Mir  1
Affiliations

Pregnancy and pituitary disorders: Challenges in diagnosis and management

Bashir A Laway et al. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Nov.

Abstract

Pregnancy is associated with normal physiological changes in endocrine system that assists fetal survival as well as preparation of labor. The pituitary gland is one of the most affected organs in which major changes in anatomy and physiology take place. Due to overlapping clinical and biochemical features of pregnancy, sometimes the diagnosis of pituitary disorders may be challenging. It is important to know what normal parameters of changes occur in endocrine system in order to diagnose and manage complex endocrine problems in pregnancy. In our present review, we will focus on pituitary disorders that occur exclusively during pregnancy like Sheehan's syndrome and lymphocytic hypophysitis and pre-existing pituitary disorders (like prolactinoma, Cushing's disease and acromegaly), which poses significant challenge to endocrinologists.

Keywords: Cushing's disease; Sheehan's syndrome; growth hormone; lymphocytic hypophysitis; pituitary disorders; placenta; pregnancy; prolactinoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Facial features of Sheehan's syndrome showing fine wrinkling of face, loss of eyebrows laterally, skin hypopigmentation. (b) T1-weighted sagittal MRI image showing pituitary gland filled with cerebrospinal fluid and stalk touching the base of floor features indicative of empty sella
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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