Successful Pregnancy after Bromocriptine Therapy in an Anovulatory Woman Complicated with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Caused by Follicle-Stimulating Hormone-Producing Plurihormonal Pituitary Microadenoma

Authors:
  • HAHisao Ando
    Hisao Ando
  • TNTetsuro Nagasaka
    Tetsuro Nagasaka
  • ITIkuo Takahashi
    Ikuo Takahashi
  • KSKiyoshi Saito
    Kiyoshi Saito
  • HFHiroyuki Fukugaki
    Hiroyuki Fukugaki
  • KMKatsuji Matsuzawa
    Katsuji Matsuzawa
  • SMShigehiko Mizutani
    Shigehiko Mizutani
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Abstract
Gonadotropin-producing pituitary adenomas are extremely rare in reproductive-age women. We report here a case of gonadotroph microadenoma with ovarian hyperstimulation. It was found in a 29-yr-old infertile Japanese woman with enlarged multicystic ovaries. The patient had an elevated basal serum estradiol level (up to 6755 pM, or 1840 pg/ml). Serum FSH and prolactin were mildly elevated (15.4 IU/liter, 1.4 nM or 31.4 ng/ml), whereas LH was low (0.5 IU/liter). The FSH level was paradoxically elevated in response to TRH administration. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging revealed a pituitary microadenoma. Daily administration of bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, normalized the ovarian size, and the patient ovulated naturally. She conceived after 3 months of bromocriptine therapy and delivered a normal child. She underwent elective transsphenoidal pituitary surgery, 3 yr after the delivery. Immunostaining of the resected tumor showed that 80% and less than 5% of the tumor cells stained for FSH-beta and prolactin, respectively. Furthermore, RT-PCR suggested that dopamine type 2 receptor was expressed in the adenoma. Gonadotroph microadenoma should be considered in women with spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation, even if they have no neurological symptoms or marked pituitary enlargement. In such cases, bromocriptine therapy may be an alternative to pituitary surgery.