Is fertility possible in a patient with loss of pituitary function?
Yes, but medical treatment is necessary. Women: If the pituitary hormones (LH and FSH) that regulate the ovaries are not produced normally, it is extremely unlikely for a woman to become pregnant without additional medical treatment. It is possible to stimulate the ovaries with LH and FSH injections, although it may require several months of therapy before ovulation occurs and pregnancy is achieved. Although it requires more “work” (and cost, as most insurance companies do not pay for fertility treatments), pregnancy is often possible in a woman with pituitary hormone deficiency. Men: Men who do not produce testosterone and who have a low sperm count can be treated with pituitary hormones (LH and FSH) to stimulate the testes to produce testosterone and sperm. Sperm production takes a long time. – the normal sperm cycle is nearly 3 months. It may require a year of more of treatment in order to increase testosterone and sperm production to levels that will restore fertility.
Yes, but it takes effort and time. Women: If the pituitary hormones (LH and FSH) that regulate the ovaries are not produced adequately by the pituitary gland, it is unlikely for a woman to become pregnant without additional medical treatment. It is possible to stimulate the ovaries with LH and FSH injections, this may take several months of injections before ovulation occurs and pregnancy is achieved. Although it requires more “work” (and cost, many insurance companies do not pay for fertility treatments), pregnancy is very possible in a woman who has pituitary deficiency of the hormones that control ovarian function. Men: Men who do not produce testosterone and who have a low sperm count can be treated with pituitary hormones (LH and FSH) to stimulate the testes to produce testosterone and sperm. Sperm production takes a long time – the normal sperm cycle is around 72 days – in order to increase testosterone and sperm production, it may require a year of more of treatment to achieve a
