Prolactin
Hormone markersWhat the test generally measures, and what to ask about it.
Longetic keeps every lab and record you’ve had organized and easy to find, so your own Prolactin values sit together on one chart and you walk into your next appointment prepared.
What is Prolactin?
A pituitary hormone whose main job is to help breast tissue grow and make milk during and after pregnancy.
Prolactin is made by the pituitary gland and is normally high in pregnancy and breastfeeding but low in men and non-pregnant women. When higher than expected in those groups, it can be associated with a benign pituitary growth called a prolactinoma (the most common cause), certain medicines, an underactive thyroid, or kidney disease, and can affect periods, fertility, and sex drive. Because stress, exercise, meals, and sex can nudge prolactin up temporarily, a single high reading is not a diagnosis and follow-up testing is common.
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References
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