Spontaneous pregnancy in a patient with Sheehan's syndrome

Sheehan’s syndrome (postpartum pituitary necrosis) is possibly the most common cause of anterior pituitary insufficiency in developing countries. Hypopituitarism caused by necrosis of physiologically enlarged pituitary gland of pregnancy following postpartum hemorrhage was first described by Sheehan [1]. Classically, it presents with failure of lactation, rapid breast involution, amenorrhea, loss of pubic or axillary hair, skin depigmentation, hypopituitarism and hypoadrenalism [1]. But the pituitary necrosis accompanying Sheehan’s syndrome is not always complete and in some patients there may be selective loss of hormone secretion [2]. Thus, subsequent pregnancy may be possible if gonadotropin function is preserved [3]. Here, we report a 38-year-old woman with Sheehan’s syndrome who became pregnant with a successful outcome.