title: Adrenal disorders of pregnancy.
abstract: In normal pregnancy, the maternal adrenal gland adapts to the physiologic changes necessary to sustain gestation. These changes protect the fetus and the mother, allowing for increased shunting of nutrients to the fetus and protection of immunologic rejection. The adrenal disorders pertinent to pregnancy include overactive and underactive secretion of adrenocortical hormones and tumors that secrete too much catecholamine. In addition, iatrogenic hypercortisolemia may be necessary to treat the mother for underlying diseases. The impact of iatrogenic hypercortisolemia on the fetus is addressed also.
authors.affiliation: Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hadden
mesh_terms: D000303:Adrenal Cortex Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones