Clinical course and outcome of pregnancy in twenty-five patients with pituitary microadenomas

Twenty-five patients, aged 23–39, with amenorrhea of 18 to 168 months' duration, galactorrhea, hyperprolactinemia (prolactin levels of 45 to 370 ng/ml), and radiologic evidence of a pituitary microadenoma, were treated with bromocriptine or lergotrile, 7.5 mg daily for 2 to 16 weeks until conception occurred. All conceived and were delivered of infants. Follow-up during pregnancy included frequent office visits and monthly visual field examinations from the sixth month until delivery. All the pregnancies resulted in single infants and uneventful and no neurological or visual symptoms developed. All infants born were normal. Twelve patients breast-fed while the others did not by choice. Menstrual function resumed in two patients after delivery and one of them subsequently conceived spontaneously. We believe that the presence of a pituitary microadenoma without neurological or visual symptoms should not be a contraindication to ovulation induction and pregnancy. Most of such pregnancies are uneventful. If symptoms arise during pregnancy, they can be treated medically or, in extreme emergencies, surgically.