Prolactin function

Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. The average serum concentration of normal adult women is about 8ng/ml. Its main function is to stimulate the growth of the mammary glands of the breast for breastfeeding small babies during pregnancy. There is an antagonistic relationship between this hormone and ovarian hormone. When this hormone in women's serum increases to a certain concentration, it will inhibit the ovulation function of the ovary, resulting in non-ovulation and infertility.

What are the symptoms of high prolactin?

1. Menstrual abnormalities: such as a low amount of menstruation or none.

2. Galactorrhea: Squeezing the breasts forcefully may cause spontaneous flow of milk from the breast.

3. Infertility: It's not easy to get pregnant because of affecting ovulation function.

4. Sometimes high prolactin often coexists with poor corpus luteum function, hirsutism, polycystic ovary syndrome, and endometriosis...etc.

What is the connection between high prolactin and infertility?

Excessive prolactin often causes glandular dysfunction in men and women "HYPOGONADISM". For example, women’s ovulation function is affected, leading to infertility due to the inability to develop and produce mature follicles, and men’s decreased libido and sexual dysfunction.

What causes high prolactin?

There are many reasons for high prolactin, which are generally divided into two types: physiological and pathological. Physiological means that the body is normal and only rises under certain special circumstances. Self-adjustment is sufficient, and no active treatment is required. As for pathological conditions, it usually means that a certain disease exists and needs active treatment, as detailed below:

1. Physiological: such as pregnancy, stress, breast and nipple stimulation, exercise, sleep, eating, sexual intercourse... etc.

2. Pathological: abnormal pituitary gland (such as tumor), hypothyroidism, chronic liver and kidney disease, drugs... etc.

How to know if prolactin is too high?

The examination can be done at any time. It is recommended to take a blood test at the same time as AMH on the first 1-3 days of the menstrual cycle. The reference value is less than 36ng/ml.

How to treat high prolactin?

Hyperprolactin is a chronic disease and requires long-term medication until pregnancy. When prolactin exceeds 100ng/ml, it is recommended to arrange further examinations (such as brain CT or MRI) to rule out pituitary tumors. When the value of prolactin is between 36 and 100ng/ml, oral Dostinex treatment is enough.

What are the side effects of oral Dostinex? How to avoid it?

1. Common side effects are gastrointestinal discomfort (nausea, constipation) and hypotension (dizziness).

2. If the blood draw value is between 36 and 100ng/ml, take a low dose (once a week); if the blood draw value is greater than 100ng/ml, then take a high dose (twice a week). The best time to take the medicine is before going to bed at night and with food.

3. The side effects can be relieved in about two weeks. If the body has been unable to adapt, please return to the doctor to discuss whether to reduce the dose.