Primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy - a review of literature

Hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy is diagnosed in 0.5-1.4% women and poses a serious challenge. Symptoms of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP), namely fatigue, lethargy and proximal muscle weakness, are unspecific and could be mistaken as complaints naturally present during pregnancy. Thus, diagnosis is usually delayed. Moreover, the complications of PHP are very common. They occur in 67% of mothers and even in up to 80% of progeny. Appropriate management is a matter of debate. According to clinical symptoms, biochemical evaluation and trimester of pregnancy an operation or conservative management should be introduced. The recognition and understanding of the illness is therefore vital. Due to the lack of unequivocal guidelines concerning pregnancy and PHP, in this review we will analyze recent findings to facilitate proper proceedings.