Lisa Fasone, a 32-year-old woman, successfully gave birth to her second child in February 2026 following a diagnosis of a pituitary gland tumor that had caused secondary infertility. The condition, discovered after Fasone experienced persistent postpartum symptoms and an inability to conceive, was treated through both medication and surgery.
Fasone first experienced symptoms including night sweats, headaches, and a lack of menstruation following the birth of her first daughter in February 2022. After these symptoms persisted for a year after she stopped nursing, medical testing revealed elevated levels of prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that regulates fertility and breast milk production. A subsequent scan identified a prolactinoma, a small benign tumor on the pituitary gland.
Dr. Stephen McGill, a neurosurgeon at Northwestern University, initially treated Fasone with oral medication. However, Fasone reported side effects including dizziness, and a follow-up scan one year later showed the tumor had grown to the size of a pea. Because the medication was not safe for use during pregnancy and the tumor continued to grow, McGill performed a minimally invasive surgery through the nose in April 2025 to remove the growth.
The medical intervention required a year of pharmaceutical treatment followed by surgery, which carried risks of permanent pituitary damage or further fertility complications. For a patient, this means navigating the recovery time of a specialized surgical procedure and regular diagnostic monitoring. Following the surgery, Fasone saw her prolactin levels return to normal within one day and her menstrual cycle return within 30 days.
Fasone will continue to undergo regular prolactin level testing and annual MRI scans for the next five years to monitor for potential tumor recurrence. The case demonstrates a clinical path for addressing medication-resistant prolactinomas in patients seeking to restore fertility. Fasone has since returned to work after completing her maternity leave in May 2026 and recently earned a doctorate of medical science.