There is so much that can affect our ability to conceive and I want to use this space today to look at one such, prolactin and infertility.
What is
Prolactin
Prolactin is one of many hormones produced by the pituitary
gland. This hormone has many functions, its main being to stimulate the
production of milk during pregnancy. During pregnancy, prolactin levels in
pregnant women should be high and continues to be high throughout breastfeeding,
thus preventing a woman who is breastfeeding from ovulating.
Prolactin and
Infertility
Women who have been diagnosed with infertility and are
told that their prolactin levels is high, will find that they are not ovulating
thus pregnancy cannot occur. This condition is also known as hyperprolactinemia which is "characterized by excess prolactin, the hormone responsible
for milk production in a woman's breasts. This hypersecretion can be due to a
prolactin-secreting tumor (prolactinoma), pregnancy, or the use of numerous
medications, particularly psychiatric medications or to a large pituitary tumor
that compresses the rest of the gland. In most cases, changes in the menstrual
cycle result in early evaluation and diagnosis of hyperprolactinemia and thus
most premenopausal women will present with small tumors."
Read more and find out also how this condition can be treated.
No comments:
Post a Comment