POMC and pituitary gland adenoma: For patients with overt CD onset during pregnancy and postpartum, there are two possibilities for the development of CD: First, event dormant or small slow-growing pituitary corticotroph adenomas have been present before which might be aggravated or accelerated by pregnancy; second, the pregnancy might somehow directly promote the occurrence of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma in some patients leading to a high risk of CD following pregnancy.