Successful Pregnancies After Adequate Hormonal Replacement in Patients With Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiencies

Women with hypopituitarism have lower pregnancy rates after ovulation induction. Associated pituitary hormone deficiencies might play a role in this poorer outcome.

We evaluated fertility treatment and pregnancy outcomes in five women with childhood-onset combined pituitary hormone deficiencies (CPHD).

Five women with CPHD were referred for fertility treatment after adequacy of hormone replacement was determined. Patients were subjected to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for timed intercourse, intrauterine insemination, or in vitro fertilization, according to the presence or absence of other infertility factors (male or tubal).

All women became pregnant. The number of COS attempts until pregnancy was achieved varied between 1 and 5. The duration of COS resulting in at least one dominant follicle varied between 9 and 28 days, and total gonadotropin consumed varied between 1200 and 3450 IU. Two patients with severely suppressed basal gonadotropin levels since an early age had a cancelled COS cycle. All pregnancies were singleton except one (monochorionic twin gestation). The gestational ages at birth ranged from 35 weeks to 39 weeks and 4 days; three patients underwent cesarean section, and two had vaginal deliveries. Only one newborn was small for gestational age (delivered at 35 weeks).

Adequate hormonal replacement prior to ovarian stimulation resulted in successful pregnancies in patients with childhood-onset CPHD, indicating that hormone replacement, including growth hormone, is an important step prior to fertility treatments in these patients.