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Why is the pituitary gland so fragile after pregnancy? The potential threat of Sheehan syndrome!
Every year, something disturbing happens during childbirth for thousands of women: their pituitary glands are damaged by severe postpartum bleeding, a condition known in the medical community as Sheehan syndrome. This syndrome causes the mother's pituitary gland to not function properly, causing a range of physiological problems, including irregular menstruation and difficulty breastfeeding.
Causes of Sheehan SyndromeSheehan syndrome is caused by damage to the pituitary gland, which results in a decrease in the amount of hormones produced by the gland, leading to loss of many endocrine system functions.
Sheehan syndrome is usually caused by heavy bleeding after childbirth. This loss of blood flow deprives the pituitary gland of blood, leading to its ischemic necrosis. It’s important to note that while this condition most often occurs after childbirth, it can also occur in pregnant women who are experiencing heavy bleeding for other reasons.
During pregnancy, a woman's pituitary gland increases in size to keep up with the production of pregnancy hormones, and therefore its demand for blood flow increases.
Symptoms of Sheehan Syndrome
The first symptom of Sheehan syndrome is usually difficulty or complete inability to breastfeed, known as agalactia. In addition, infrequent menstrual periods (oligomenorrhea) or complete absence (amenorrhea) after childbirth are also common signs of this syndrome. As symptoms progress, other symptoms such as fatigue, low blood sugar, and low blood pressure may appear.
Sheehan syndrome may result in deficiencies in multiple hormonal pathways, including thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive hormones, affecting many aspects of life.
The importance of early diagnosis
Diagnosing Sheehan syndrome usually requires identifying the hormone deficiency that is present. Symptoms may not be noticeable in the early stages, so many patients are not diagnosed until many years later. This makes early diagnosis and prompt treatment crucial to prevent complications such as adrenal crisis.
According to medical research, many patients with Sheehan syndrome experience significant uterine insufficiency and uncontrolled blood loss after childbirth.
Treatment methods
The main treatment for Sheehan syndrome is hormone replacement therapy to replace the missing hormones. Depending on the type of hormone that is deficient, the treatment plan will be individually tailored by an endocrinologist. Prompt hormone replacement therapy can help reduce the complications and mortality caused by Sheehan syndrome.
ConclusionThe challenges of Sheehan syndrome not only affect a woman's physical health, but can also have a profound impact on her mental health. In the face of this rare but potential threat, can reminding pregnant women to pay attention to their postpartum health status and seek medical help in time effectively prevent the disease in this group of people?
