Pituitary disorders in pregnancy

The management of pituitary disorders in pregnancy presents a unique challenge for maternal medicine specialists and endocrinologists. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) mean that women with hypopituitarism are increasingly able to conceive. The pituitary undergoes significant phys...

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Main Authors: Darran Mc Donald, Maria Tomkins, Michael W. O’Reilly, Mark Sherlock
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Clinical Medicine
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470211825002064
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author Darran Mc Donald
Maria Tomkins
Michael W. O’Reilly
Mark Sherlock
author_facet Darran Mc Donald
Maria Tomkins
Michael W. O’Reilly
Mark Sherlock
author_sort Darran Mc Donald
collection DOAJ
description The management of pituitary disorders in pregnancy presents a unique challenge for maternal medicine specialists and endocrinologists. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) mean that women with hypopituitarism are increasingly able to conceive. The pituitary undergoes significant physiological changes during pregnancy. Pituitary hormone replacement regimens must therefore be adjusted throughout pregnancy in an attempt to mimic these changes. Close clinical and biochemical follow-up and collaboration across specialties is essential to ensure optimal maternal and fetal outcomes. Although many women with hypopituitarism will have a normal pregnancy, rates of miscarriage, labour induction and caesarean sections are higher than the general population. Most women with hypopituitarism are diagnosed prior to pregnancy; however, some pituitary disorders including lymphocytic hypophysitis, Sheehan’s syndrome and pituitary apoplexy have a predilection to arise during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Prompt recognition of these disorders is essential to prevent potentially fatal complications and optimise maternal and fetal wellbeing.
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spelling doaj-art-c874ac56715b42f9bcfdd81f22a6d7612025-08-23T04:47:46ZengElsevierClinical Medicine1470-21182025-09-0125510048810.1016/j.clinme.2025.100488Pituitary disorders in pregnancyDarran Mc Donald0Maria Tomkins1Michael W. O’Reilly2Mark Sherlock3Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Academic Department of Endocrinology, Beaumont Hospital, RCSI Smurfit Building, Dublin, IrelandDepartment of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Academic Department of Endocrinology, Beaumont Hospital, RCSI Smurfit Building, Dublin, IrelandDepartment of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Academic Department of Endocrinology, Beaumont Hospital, RCSI Smurfit Building, Dublin, IrelandDepartment of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Academic Department of Endocrinology, Beaumont Hospital, RCSI Smurfit Building, Dublin, Ireland; Corresponding author.The management of pituitary disorders in pregnancy presents a unique challenge for maternal medicine specialists and endocrinologists. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) mean that women with hypopituitarism are increasingly able to conceive. The pituitary undergoes significant physiological changes during pregnancy. Pituitary hormone replacement regimens must therefore be adjusted throughout pregnancy in an attempt to mimic these changes. Close clinical and biochemical follow-up and collaboration across specialties is essential to ensure optimal maternal and fetal outcomes. Although many women with hypopituitarism will have a normal pregnancy, rates of miscarriage, labour induction and caesarean sections are higher than the general population. Most women with hypopituitarism are diagnosed prior to pregnancy; however, some pituitary disorders including lymphocytic hypophysitis, Sheehan’s syndrome and pituitary apoplexy have a predilection to arise during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Prompt recognition of these disorders is essential to prevent potentially fatal complications and optimise maternal and fetal wellbeing.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470211825002064Maternal healthPregnancyPituitary disordersHypopituitarismFertility
spellingShingle Darran Mc Donald
Maria Tomkins
Michael W. O’Reilly
Mark Sherlock
Pituitary disorders in pregnancy
Clinical Medicine
Maternal health
Pregnancy
Pituitary disorders
Hypopituitarism
Fertility
title Pituitary disorders in pregnancy
title_full Pituitary disorders in pregnancy
title_fullStr Pituitary disorders in pregnancy
title_full_unstemmed Pituitary disorders in pregnancy
title_short Pituitary disorders in pregnancy
title_sort pituitary disorders in pregnancy
topic Maternal health
Pregnancy
Pituitary disorders
Hypopituitarism
Fertility
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470211825002064
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