Female patients with prolactinizing pituitary tumors: what to expect during pregnancy?

In patients with microadenomas, both surgery and bromocriptine can help to reduce prolactin levels, restore menstruation and smooth pregnancy. In addition, although the risk of significant tumor growth during pregnancy is low in patients with microadenomas, there is a chance that the tumor will increase in size. It is generally recommended that patients continue to take bromocriptine during pregnancy, as well as have regular visual field tests to watch for new headache symptoms and vision changes and to ensure stability during pregnancy. For patients with macroadenomas, especially those whose tumors are closely related to the visual crossover and cavernous sinus, therapeutic measures such as surgery or medication should be used to reduce the size of the tumor before considering pregnancy. For patients with macroadenomas who are already pregnant, the following treatment options are available: 1. Continue to take bromocriptine during pregnancy to control tumor growth. 2. If bromocriptine is not effective in controlling the tumor, transnasal surgery can be used to remove the tumor in the second trimester of pregnancy. 3. If the tumor continues to grow during pregnancy, the patient can give birth earlier if the condition of the fetus permits, and the tumor can be removed by surgical treatment after delivery.