Adrenal disorders of pregnancy.

In normal pregnancy, the maternal adrenal gland adapts to the physiologic changes necessary to sustain gestation. These changes protect the fetus and the mother, allowing for increased shunting of nutrients to the fetus and protection of immunologic rejection. The adrenal disorders pertinent to pregnancy include overactive and underactive secretion of adrenocortical hormones and tumors that secrete too much catecholamine. In addition, iatrogenic hypercortisolemia may be necessary to treat the mother for underlying diseases. The impact of iatrogenic hypercortisolemia on the fetus is addressed also.