Differential Diagnosis for Postpartum Night Sweats
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Hormonal Changes: The most common cause of postpartum night sweats is the rapid decline in estrogen and progesterone levels after childbirth. This hormonal shift can lead to vasomotor symptoms, including night sweats.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Mastitis or Breast Infection: Infections of the breast tissue can cause fever, chills, and night sweats in postpartum women.
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): UTIs are common in the postpartum period and can cause symptoms such as fever, dysuria, and night sweats.
- Anxiety or Stress: The postpartum period can be a time of significant emotional adjustment, and anxiety or stress can manifest as night sweats.
- Thyroid Dysfunction: Postpartum thyroiditis, which can cause hyperthyroidism, may lead to symptoms including night sweats.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Pulmonary Embolism: Although rare, pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition that can cause sudden onset of night sweats, among other symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain.
- Septicemia or Sepsis: Postpartum sepsis is a severe infection that can present with fever, chills, and night sweats, and requires immediate medical attention.
- Meningitis: Infection of the meninges can cause fever, headache, and night sweats, and is a medical emergency.
Rare Diagnoses
- Pituitary Apoplexy: A rare condition involving hemorrhage or infarction of the pituitary gland, which can occur postpartum and cause a variety of symptoms including night sweats.
- Lymphoma: Although very rare, lymphoma can cause night sweats, and the postpartum period does not exempt someone from this possibility.
- Tuberculosis: Reactivation of latent TB can occur postpartum, especially in immunocompromised individuals, and may cause night sweats among other symptoms.