Gestational gigantomastia with complete resolution in a Nigerian woman

Abstract

BACKGROUNDGestational gigantomastia is a very rare condition and only about 100 cases have been reported in the literature. This is the fi rst case of gigantomastia in pregnancy in our collective experience and is signifi cant because to the best of our knowledge, few cases of postpartum complete spontaneous resolution have been reported. The breasts are of vital importance to the newborn child, particularly in developing countries where breast feeding is common. Breast feeding confers numerous advantages on the infant including reduced mortality rate and improved neurological development. Physiological enlargement of the breasts occurs at puberty and during pregnancy, when it starts very early and is sustained until delivery. The factors controlling breast growth are complex and not completely understood, although oestrogens, progesterones, prolactin, growth hormone and adrenal steroids are all known to play a role. Sometimes this process goes wrong resulting in an excessively large and painful breast called gestational gigantomastia (gravidic gigantomastia, mammary hyperplasia of pregnancy) or virginal hyperplasia when it occurs at puberty. This rare but important condition of the breast not only interferes with breast feeding but may cause severe maternal morbidity and even mortality.

Gigantomastia no ciclo gravídico-puerperal: relato de caso

“…O crescimento fisiológico das mamas femininas tem início na puberdade e termina após o estabelecimento da lactação 3 . A telarca inicia o estabelecimento dos caracteres sexuais secundários, dependentes da maturidade do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-ovário e, principalmente, da produção de estrogênios, com crescimento gradual do parênquima e do estroma até aproximadamente os 18 anos de idade 5,6 .…”

“…A compressão das mamas sobre o tórax pode dificultar a respiração 2 . O crescimento exagerado das mamas não altera diretamente o desenvolvimento fetal 3 , mas o extremo desconforto materno e as morbidades a ele associadas podem provocar a antecipação do parto.…”

Inferior Pedicle Breast Reduction for the Management of Gestational Gigantomastia: Literature Review and a Case Presentation

“…Despite the few case resolutions of Gestational gigantomastia after an- [3]. Nevertheless, it is recommended that anti-hormonal drugs are administered to Gestational gigantomastia patients as first line treatment but with much caution not to interfere with the unborn baby [25] [27].…”

“…However, the problem of inability to breast feed among pregnant women taking this treatment is very important, especially in developing countries where breast feeding is very common [3] and most people cannot afford baby formula foods.…”

“…Gestational gigantomastia is very rare in women with an incidence rate of 1 in 100,000 pregnancies [6] [2]. The disease condition has mostly been recorded in Whites, obese and multiparous women [7]; however there have been few cases recorded in Blacks [3] [8]- [17].…”