Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Mini Review
Human Pregnancy Physiology and Diseases: A Mini Review
Author(s): Antonie Philips* and Sara Beckham
Pregnancy causes significant changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and adrenal gland function.
Some of these changes have clinical features that are similar to adrenal gland disorders. While adrenal disorders
are uncommon in pregnant women, they have the potential to cause significant morbidity if they go undiagnosed
and untreated. Because the majority of patients with adrenal disorders present with clinical features consistent
with normal pregnancy, diagnosis during pregnancy is not uncommon. These disorders require a high level of
suspicion because they can have serious obstetrical consequences. This review will go over the normal function
of the adrenal glands during pregnancy as well as the role of adrenal hormones during pregnancy.
We will discuss the most common adrenal disorders that occur during pregnancy and review the literature o.. View More»