Role of Pituitary Gland in Fertility Preservation

Abstract

The pituitary gland is one of the major organs that make up the endocrine system. The pituitary gland secretes various hormones some of which acts on target organs specifically and some that act on other endocrine bodies to stimulate or inhibit production of hormones based on response to different signals in the body. The pituitary gland is also regulated by hormones released from the hypothalamus and hence, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland coalesce to form a central control unit for endocrine processes throughout the body. Of its numerous functions, the pituitary is very vital in reproduction as it regulates hormones that are necessary for reproductive functions in the body. This chapter discusses at length, the importance and role of the pituitary gland in reproduction. Basically, the pituitary gland responds to stimuli from the hypothalamus to produce hormones that act on the gonads (testes and ovaries) to produce sex hormones that are necessary for sexual maturation. The hypothalamus, pituitary gland and the gonads form a network for the communication via the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis and it allows efficiency in stimulating and inhibiting release of hormones via a feedback mechanism. The optimum functioning of the pituitary gland is absolutely necessary to facilitate a healthy reproductive functioning and avoid reproductive complications like infertility. Conception should be a natural part of life that should occur spontaneously and approximately 15–25% of couples within the reproductive age are struggling to conceive, and require medical attention to achieve this and only about 1–2% of couples are sterile. Infertility cases that result from pituitary gland-related complications can be caused by a number of factors either congenital or acquired. Recent research inferences on the pathophysiology of infertility have identified the overproduction of reactive oxygen species as an important factor in infertility. There are various studies regarding the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (an environmental pollutant) on the reproductive functions of animals which can be through alterations in a hormonal milieu as well as reactive oxygen species. It therefore becomes imperative to look into effects of the environment on the endocrine pathways and its reflection on fertility. This chapter also looked into some of the causative factors of these disorders and the risk the pose to a reproductive health.