Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to (a) prevent and (b) support women with Sheehan’s syndrome.

Sheehan’s syndrome is a rare condition in which severe bleeding during childbirth causes damage to the pituitary gland. The damage to pituitary tissue may result in pituitary hormone deficiencies. The treatment for women with Sheehan’s syndrome varies depending on the hormones that need to be replaced. Once diagnosis is confirmed, the treatment is life-long replacement of the hormones which are found to be deficient. This may take the form of hydrocortisone, thyroxine, oestrogen and rarely, growth hormone.

The Department encourages maternity providers to follow national guidelines for the prevention and treatment of peripartum haemorrhage. The Department also encourages women to seek advice from their general practitioner or midwife if they have any concerns following a peripartum haemorrhage.