Prolactin and it's relationship to infertility

Prolactin is a hormone that is secreted by the pituitary gland.  Prolactin is present in low levels in women who are not pregnant.  During pregnancy, a woman's body ramps up the production of prolactin, sometimes as much as ten times the amount prior to pregnancy.  Some women have a condition known as Hyperprolactinemia.  This refers to unusually high levels of prolactin in a woman who is not pregnant. 

Hyperprolactinemia can create specific problems in regard to fertility.  It can cause a woman to produce an inadequate amount of progesterone during the luteal phase after ovulation.  Progesterone is vital female hormone central to successful conception and a healthy pregnancy.  The word progesterone is itself related to the Latin root gestare - meaning to bear or carry - suggesting the importance of this hormone in creating a fertile environment for conception and the gestation of the baby.

Irregular menstruation or ovulation can also be caused by high levels of prolactin.  In fact, Hyperprolactinemia is thought to be the problem in up to a third of all infertility patients who don't menstruate.

There are several known causes of excessive prolactin.  Surgical scars on the chest wall or other chest wall irritations like shingles can trigger a rise in levels.  Some medications, like tranquilizers, high blood pressure medications and anti-nausea drugs can all lead to such problems.  Oral contraceptives and recreational drugs like marijuana may result in mild cases.  Some women with PCOS also have Hyperprolactinemia.  The most common cause of Hyperprolactinemia is hypothyroidism, in which an inadequate amount of the thyroid hormone is produced. 

Fortunately, Hyperprolactinemia is usually very treatable.  There are medications specifically designed to lower prolactin levels.  If Hyperprolactinemia is caused by another problem such as hyperthyroidism, treatment of the original problem will often resolve the Hyperprolactinemia .

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