# Prolactin
Prolactin (PRL) hormone helps to regulate functions such as growth, metabolism, blood pressure, and reproduction. This test is most often used to diagnose prolactinoma (a type of tumor of the pituitary gland), and it helps to find the cause of a women’s menstrual irregularities and/or infertility in reproductive age groups in female and while in the male it helps to find the cause of man’s low sex drive and/or erectile dysfunction.
PROLACTIN TEST:
Prolactin Hormone is produced by the pituitary gland. It indicates the normal physiological functioning of reproductive organs in healthy subjects and differentiates it from abnormal pathological states. This health check-up evaluates the prolactin hormone in the blood sample to diagnose fertility issues and complications during late pregnancy.
CLINICAL INFORMATION :
This test is usually done to assess and diagnose the hormone prolactin in the blood. In female after childbirth, the levels of prolactin is high since it increases the production of breast milk. HIGH PROLACTIN levels are due to medications like anti-depressants, drugs containing estrogen-like birth control pills, certain medications for hypertension and acid reflux pills, under-active thyroid and pituitary tumors, etc. Symptoms include infertility, milk discharge from nipples when not pregnant or nursing, irregular periods, loss of libido, vaginal dryness leading to painful intercourse, acne, and hirsutism (excessive body and facial hair growth). LOW PROLACTIN levels are due to postpartum pituitary necrosis (Sheehan’s syndrome), impairment of anterior pituitary secondary to pituitary (or extra pituitary) tumor, or treatment of tumor, head injury, hypopituitarism, medications such as dopamine and levodopa or infections, etc. Symptoms include delay in puberty etc. This test is suggested in patients with symptoms of altered prolactin levels (pituitary function) suggesting hormonal imbalance etc. Other associated tests include radioimmunoassay, ELISA, spectrometric methods, and kit methods.
General instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample taken 3-4 hours later after wake-up in the morning. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory “RTDIAGNOSTICS” provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centers to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
