Conception and spontaneous delivery after total hypophysectomy

Abstract

Objective: To report the first case of pregnancy and spontaneous delivery after total hypophysectomy.

Design: A case report.

Setting: University hospital.

Patient(s): A 34-year-old woman with panhypopituitarism after hypophysectomy in childhood for craniopharyngioma.

Intervention(s): Successful fertility treatment followed by sufficient hormone substitution therapy during pregnancy.

Main outcome measure(s): Clinical variables.

Result(s): The patient had an uncomplicated spontaneous delivery without any substitution of oxytocin before, during, or after delivery.

Conclusion(s): Normal pregnancy and delivery are possible in women with lack of pituitary function. Maternal pituitary oxytocin release seems to play a limited role in the onset and progression of labor.