Successful pregnancy and birth in a patient with panhypopituitarism caused by craniopharyngioma.

Koo, Yun Hee; Kim, Chung Hoon; Lee, Soo Jeong; Lee, Hyang Ah; Lee, Sa Ra; Kim, Sung Hoon; Chae, Hee Dong; Kang, Byung Moon

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2005;48(10):2462-2467.
Published online October 1, 2005.

Successful pregnancy and birth in a patient with panhypopituitarism caused by craniopharyngioma.

Yun Hee Koo, Chung Hoon Kim, Soo Jeong Lee, Hyang Ah Lee, Sa Ra Lee, Sung Hoon Kim, Hee Dong Chae, Byung Moon Kang

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. chkim@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Conceptions and uncomplicated pregnancies in patients with panhypopituitarism are rare especially after treatment of craniopharyngioma. We recently experienced a case of a patient with panhypopituitarism who became pregnant by gonadotropin therapy and gave birth to a healthy baby. A 33-year-old woman developed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and diabetes insipidus because of craniopharyngioma which was surgically removed. Post-operative panhypopituitarism with diabetes insipidus was treated with adequate doses of L-thyroxin, prednisolone, desmopressin, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), conjugated estrogen. To induce ovulation, human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were administered, and a single intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure was performed. The patient became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby. This case suggests that ovulation induction using gonadotropins and comprehensive hormone replacement therapy can result in the successful pregnancy in patients with panhypopituitarism after treatment of craniopharyngioma.

Key Words: Panhypopituitarism, Craniopharyngioma, Ovulation induction, Pregnancy