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Alternative names Return to top
Postpartum hypopituitarism; Postpartum pituitary insufficiency; Hypopituitarism SyndromeDefinition Return to top
Sheehan's syndrome is a condition that may occur in a woman who has a severe uterine hemorrhage during childbirth. The resulting severe blood loss causes tissue death in her pituitary gland and leads to hypopituitarism following the birth.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
If a woman's pituitary gland is starved of blood because she bled severely during childbirth, the gland may lose its ability to function properly. The pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, is responsible for producing a variety of hormones that help regulate growth, reproduction, and metabolism.
Sheehan's syndrome is very rare now because of wide access to good obstetrical care.
Conditions that increase the risk of an obstetric hemorrhage and thus of Sheehan's syndrome include multiple pregnancies (twins or triplets) and abnormalities of the placenta.
Symptoms Return to top
The pituitary gland normally produces hormones that stimulate breast milk production, growth, reproductive functions, the thyroid, and the adrenal glands. A lack of these hormones results in a variety of symptoms related to all of these areas.
These symptoms may include:
Signs and tests Return to top
Treatment Return to top
The treatment for pituitary insufficiency is lifelong hormone substitute medication, including estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement. Thyroid and adrenal hormones also must be taken.
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
The outlook with early diagnosis and treatment is excellent.
Complications Return to top
This condition can be life-threatening if not treated because of the lack of thyroid and adrenal hormones, which allow the body to react to stress or infections.
Prevention Return to top
Extreme hemorrhage during birth is often preventable by modern medical care. Otherwise, Sheehan's syndrome is not predictable or preventable.
Update Date: 1/12/2003 Updated by: Daniel Rein, M.D., Obstetrician and Gynecologist, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |