Sheehan syndrome

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Endocrine glands

Postpartum hypopituitarism; Postpartum pituitary insufficiency; Hypopituitarism Syndrome

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:

• Inability to breast-feed (breast milk never "comes in")
• Fatigue
• Loss of pubic and axillary hair
• Amenorrhea, or lack of menstrual bleeding
• Low blood pressure

• Blood tests are performed to measure hormone levels.
• A CT scan of the head may be recommended to rule out other abnormalities of the pituitary such as a tumor.

Review Date: 11/08/2006
Reviewed By: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.