Micropolygyria in an infant born to a patient with severe anorexia nervosa: a case report

Yuichi Takei1, Masashi Suda, Yoshiyuki Aoyama

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.

We report the case of an anorexia nervosa (AN) patient with extremely low body weight who became pregnant following ovulation induction and subsequently delivered an infant with micropolygyria. To the best of our knowledge, no previous report has described live birth for a patient with such low body weight. The patient underwent hMG-hCG therapy for ovulation induction. Despite becoming pregnant, weight loss continued with extreme anemia occurring during the pregnancy. However, blood transfusion therapy was used for successful treatment. Despite the therapeutic and protective measures instituted, the child was born with micropolygyria. Pregnancy in an AN patient with extremely low body weight needs therapeutic intervention during early pregnancy with aggressive precautionary measures, particularly against anemia. On the basis of our experience, we consider that ovulation induction therapy should not be administered without sufficient caution for an AN patient with low body weight.

Related Concept Videos

Anorexia Nervosa01:28

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Bulimia Nervosa01:30

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
Inborn Errors of Metabolism01:20

Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a protein metabolism disorder characterized by high blood levels of the amino acid phenylalanine. This results from a mutation in the gene responsible for phenylalanine hydroxylase, an enzyme that converts phenylalanine into tyrosine. When this enzyme is deficient, phenylalanine builds up in the blood, leading to symptoms such as vomiting, rashes, seizures, growth deficiency, and severe mental retardation. An early diagnosis and a diet restricting phenylalanine intake...