[The clinical picture of postpartum hypopituitarism].

Hypopituitarism depends on the history of the obstetric cause, on the subsequent amenorrhoea and the usual absence of lactation, on the biochemical abnormalities found later, and on the effect of therapy. Nevertheless, an initial clinical inspection of the untreated patient gives important clues to the diagnosis. Cachexia does not occur in true hypopituitarism, unless there is some intercurrent factor which causes emaciation, such as carcinoma, tuberculosis, ulceration in the alimentary tract etc.