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A pituitary tumor caused infertility and hormonal problems for a Chicago woman
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A tumor on her pituitary gland caused her to produce too much prolactin, making it difficult to get pregnant
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Surgeons successfully removed the tumor and allowed the woman to conceive her second child
FRIDAY, June 5, 2026 (NewsDay News) – A suburban Chicago woman who feared she would never have another child is now celebrating a growing family after brain surgery at Northwestern Medicine.
After the birth of her first daughter in 2022, Lisa Fasone began to experience postpartum hormonal problems.
“My cycle never came back. After I had my baby and finished breastfeeding, I was still breastfeeding after I finished nursing,” Fasone said. “No more hormonal issues, headaches, night sweats, fatigue, I really don’t feel like myself.”
Blood tests showed high levels of prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. Medication helped at first, but over time his symptoms returned. An MRI eventually revealed a tumor on her pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain.
The tumor, known as a prolactinoma, caused her body to produce too much prolactin, making it extremely difficult to conceive.
Fasone said she worries about getting pregnant again while taking medication to treat her condition.
“It made me a little nervous trying to get pregnant with a drug that hasn’t been well studied for safety in pregnancy,” she said.
After exhausting conservative treatment options, she was referred to a neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Magill in Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
“I have to make a decision,” Fasone said. “Do I continue to increase the dose of this drug that doesn’t make me feel good and doesn’t seem to be working, or do I face this problem and can I have surgery?”
Magill knew that Fasone really wanted another child. So he advised her about the benefits and risks of removing the tumor and the expected outcome.
“So it’s a very rare tumor. And for her, when we were able to get it all out after surgery, her prolactin levels returned to normal. And even within a month of surgery, she was able to have a baby.”
A child he recently met.
“To see someone go through that and then see a full circle, a normal life, a healthy pituitary gland, not in exchange for any hormones. Keeping a healthy baby alone, that’s amazing,” Magill said.
Fasone says infertility can be very isolating, but she urges others not to give up.
“If you feel something is wrong, make sure your voice is heard by providers.”
More information
The Mayo Clinic has more information pituitary tumors.
SOURCE: Health Day TVJune 5, 2026
What does this mean for you?
If you experience persistent postpartum symptoms, bring them to the attention of your healthcare provider. They may be in debt for an unforeseen and rectifiable reason.
