Sheehan syndrome

Title

Other Names:

Postpartum hypopituitarism; Postpartum panhypopituitarism; Postpartum panhypopituitary syndrome; Postpartum hypopituitarism; Postpartum panhypopituitarism; Postpartum panhypopituitary syndrome; Postpartum pituitary necrosis; Simmond's disease See More

Categories:

Endocrine Diseases

Summary Summary

Sheehan syndrome, or postpartum hypopituitarism, is a rare complication of postpartum hemorrhage.^[1]^[2]^[3] Severe blood loss during or after childbirth can deprive the body of oxygen and seriously damage the pituitary gland. This causes the gland to permanently lose its ability to function properly.^[2]^[3] While some women have very few symptoms, Sheehan syndrome can lead to an adrenal crisis - a life-threatening shortage of the hormone cortisol.^[3] Treatment involves lifelong hormone replacement therapy.^[2]^[3]

Last updated: 2/23/2010

Symptoms Symptoms

The pituitary gland produces hormones that stimulate breast milk production, growth, reproductive functions, the thyroid and the adrenal glands. A lack of these hormones can lead to a variety of symptoms.^[2] While some women may experience early symptoms such as difficulty breastfeeding or an inability to breastfeed (breast milk never "comes in"), in most cases the signs and symptoms of Sheehan syndrome develop slowly, sometimes over a period of months or even years.^[3] For many, symptoms become apparent when the body is stressed by infection or surgery some period of time after delivery. This type of stressor can lead to an adrenal crisis.^[1]^[3] Symptoms that may develop include:^[1]^[2]^[3]

Weakness
Fatigue
Hypoglycemia
Dizziness
Amenorrhea
Oligomenorrhea (infrequent menstrual periods)
Hot flashes
Decreased libido
Loss of pubic and underarm hair
Low blood pressure
Slowed mental functioning
Weight gain
Difficulty staying warm

Last updated: 8/25/2011

Cause Cause

Sheehan syndrome is caused by severe blood loss during or after childbirth.^[1]^[2]^[3] Blood loss at that time can be particularly damaging to the pituitary gland (which enlarges during pregnancy), destroying hormone-producing tissue so that the gland cannot function properly.^[1]^[3]

Last updated: 8/25/2011

Diagnosis Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Sheehan syndrome can be difficult.^[1]^[3] The diagnosis is based on clinical evidence of hypopituitarism in a woman with a history of severe postpartum bleeding.^[1] Blood tests to measure hormone levels and CT scan of the head (to rule out other pituitary problems such as a tumor) may help to confirm the diagnosis.^[2]^[3]

Last updated: 8/25/2011

Treatment Treatment

Treatment involved lifelong estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy. Thyroid and adrenal hormones also must be taken.^[2]^[3]

Last updated: 8/25/2011

Prognosis Prognosis

The outlook with early diagnosis and treatment is excellent.^[2]

Last updated: 2/23/2010

Organizations Organizations

Nonprofit support and advocacy groups bring together patients, families, medical professionals, and researchers. These groups often raise awareness, provide support, and develop patient-centered information. Many are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct people to research, resources, and services. Many groups also have experts who serve as medical advisors. Visit their website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD. Suggest an organization to add.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

American Hair Loss Association
23679 Calabasas Road # 682
Calabasas, CA 91301-1502
E-mail: inquire@americanhairloss.org
Website: http://americanhairloss.org
Pituitary Network Association
P.O. Box 1958
Thond Oaks, CA 91358
Telephone: 805-499-9973
Fax: 805-480-0633
E-mail: info@pituitary.org
Website: http://www.pituitary.org/
The Hormone Foundation
8401 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 900
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-5817
Toll-free: 800-HORMONE (1-800-467-6663)
Fax: 301-941-0259
E-mail: hormone@endo-society.org
Website: http://www.hormone.org
The Pituitary Foundation
P.O. Box 1944
Bristol BS99 2UB
United Kingdom
E-mail: helpline@pituitary.org.uk
Website: http://www.pituitary.org.uk/
The Pituitary Society
VA Medical Center
423 East 23rd Street
Room 16048aW
New York, NY 10010
Telephone: 212-263-6772
Fax: 212-447-6219
E-mail: http://www.pituitarysociety.org/members/contact
Website: http://www.pituitarysociety.org

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.
The MayoClinic.com offers an information page on Sheehan syndrome. You can access this information page by clicking on the above link.

In-Depth Information

Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Sheehan syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

Schrager S, Sabo L. Sheehan Syndrome: A Rare Complication of Postpartum Hemorrhage. J Am Board Fam Med. 2001; 14(5):389-391.

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

I was diagnosed with Sheehan syndrome after complications with giving birth 8yrs ago. I have been having trouble getting pregnant and wanted to know if Sheehan syndrome creates difficulties with having a pregnancy. See answer
I am curious to know if there is a genetic link to Sheehan syndrome. My maternal grandmother hemorrhaged after her 5th child and ended up losing all of the hair on her body, less the hair on her head. My maternal aunt also hemorrhaged after her 4th child and she too lost all body hair less the hair on her head. Neither were diagnosed with Sheehan syndrome at that time. See answer
I am interested in learning more about Sheehan syndrome. What information can you provide? See answer