Primary hyperparathyroidism and pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
The coexistence of primary hyper-parathyroidism and pregnancy is very rare worldwide. It carries serious complications to the mother and fetus, therefore, early diagnosis and management is of paramount importance.


METHODS
Over a period of 16 years from 1982-1997, 24 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were identified from the central diagnostic index data base of King Khalid University Hospital. Out of these, only 3 women with primary hyperparathyroidism complicating pregnancy were identified.


RESULTS
All 3 women were in the fourth decade. Two of them had coexisting vitamin D deficiency with initially normal serum calcium and were misdiagnosed as cases of osteomalacia while the third had very high serum calcium on first presentation. A single parathyroid adenoma was identified in all 3 patients with 2 undergoing surgical removal of the adenoma. The third patient unfortunately had an abortion. The babies of the first 2 patients were born healthy with no complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary hyperparathyridism, even though rare in pregnancy, carries risks to the mother and fetus and therefore early screening for asymptomatic hyper-parathyroidism in all women of childbearing age and in the early antenatal period of pregnant women is recommended.
Fouda
M A
MA
Department of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, PO Box 2925, Riyadh 11461, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008403:Mass Screening; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002118:Calcium