Definition:
Postpartum hypopituitarism, also referred to as the Sheehan's syndrome, is a delayed effect of severe blood loss during (intrapartum) or after (postpartum) childbirth, which results to the permanent underproduction of pituitary hormones.
Diagnosis:
To arrive at a diagnosis for postpartum hypopituitarism, there is a necessity to check and assess the woman's medical history, more particularly, that pertaining to her condition during pregnancy and childbirth. Blood tests, to check the pituitary hormone levels, may also be done. Also, MRI and CT scan, to check the size of the pituitary, and to look for other causes of pituitary malfunction, may help confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment:
The treatment for postpartum hypopituitarism is hormone replacement therapy. Among the recommended medications are estrogen, corticosteroids, and levothyroxine. For postpartum hypopituitarism which results to infertility, preparations containing luteinizing hormone and gonadotropins may be prescribed.
Symptoms and Signs:
The symptoms of postpartum hypopituitarism include amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea, slowed mental function, weight gain or loss, difficulty or inability to breast-feed, low blood pressure, and fatigue.
Causes:
Postpartum hypopituitarism is the result of severe blood loss during and after pregnancy, which affects the pituitary gland. Why the pituitary gland is affected is not known, but it is believed that the pituitary gland is more prone to damage because it enlarges during pregnancy. The damage to the pituitary may also be attributed to the hypotension that occurs during hemorrhage.
