Pituitary Dıseases and Care in Pregnancy

Abstract

The pituitary gland causes very serious effects on the body thanks to the hormones it secretes. The main pituitary diseases are prolactinoma, acromegaly, lymphocytic hypophysitis, pituitary insufficiency (hypopituitarism), Cushing's syndrome and Sheehan's syndrome. Since pregnancy is rare in these diseases, the diagnosis is usually made in the pre-pregnancy period. A definitive diagnosis is made by means of disease-specific diagnostic tests accompanied by symptoms and findings seen in the pre-pregnancy period. Anatomical and physiological changes in the pituitary gland during pregnancy cause difficulties in the diagnosis of pituitary diseases. For this reason, the care to be given in pituitary diseases should be carried out effectively from the pre-pregnancy period. These diseases cause serious complications for both mother and foetus and require a multidisciplinary care approach. Midwives and other health professionals, who have a major role in the multidisciplinary team providing care, should be familiar with the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods of pituitary diseases and an individualised care management specific to the disease should be carried out.