Cushing’s syndrome during pregnancy with different clinical courses: Two case reports

Abstract

Cushing's syndrome (CS) during pregnancy is a rare metabolic condition associated with hypertension, hyperglycaemia, and foetal growth restriction (FGR). Here, we report two cases of CS during pregnancy with different clinical courses. Caesarean section was performed in Patient 1 at 26 weeks of gestation due to uncontrollable hypertension and severe FGR. She was diagnosed with CS after delivery. Patient 2 exhibited severe hypertension and was diagnosed with CS at 19 weeks of gestation. Surgical treatment significantly decreased her blood pressure, and she delivered a mature baby at 39 weeks of gestation. For Patient 1, microscopic findings of the placenta were compatible with preeclampsia, while the placenta of Patient 2 showed almost normal pathological findings, although the placenta was extremely small. These two cases indicate that, while maternal hypertension might affect placental growth, placental function could be recuperated by appropriate blood pressure control in the early stage of gestation.