[Recovery of gonadotropin-secreting function of the pituitary in the puerperal women with eclampsia].

Recovery of gonadotropin-secreting function of the pituitary has been studied in 4 puerperal women with episodes of eclampsia during the last pregnancy, delivery and/or the first 24 hours after delivery. On day 20 postpartum, hypertension, edema and proteinuria were improved in all the puerperal women. Serum FSH and LH responses to LH-RH on day 20 postpartum in 3 puerperal women with less than 6 eclamptic attacks during pregnancy or delivery were at a comparable level to those on day 20 postpartum in 4 puerperal women with premature labor between 31 and 33 weeks' gestation and in 9 normal puerperal women. Serum FSH response to LH-RH on day 20 postpartum in a puerperal woman with 10 eclamptic attacks during pregnancy and the first 24 hours after delivery was lower than those in 4 puerperal women with premature labor and in 9 normal puerperal women. In the puerperal woman with 10 eclamptic attacks, the lowered FSH response to LH-RH on day 20 postpartum was apparently improved on day 55 postpartum. However, the FSH response to LH-RH on day 55 postpartum was still lower in the puerperal woman with 10 eclamptic attacks than in 7 normal puerperal women. These results indicate that many eclamptic attacks during pregnancy, delivery and/or the first 24 hours after delivery may cause perturbation to some extent in recovery of FSH-secreting function of the pituitary during the puerperium.