Hyperprolactinaemia and female infertility

The clinical use of bromocriptine was investigated in 50 hyper- and 30 normoprolactinaemic women attending an infertility clinic and presenting with anovulatory cycles, oligomenorrhoea or amenorrhoea and the complaint that they had failed to become pregnant. The results confirmed that bromocriptine is effective in the treatment of hyperprolactinaemic states. Bromocriptine supresses prolactin secretion irrespective of the underlying pathologic process. Hyperprolactinaemia in humans is frequently associated with anovulation. Serum prolactin values showed no close correlation with the degree of menstrual abnormalities or galactorrhoea. Basal FSH and LH levels and the gonadotropin response to LH-RH were essentially normal in hyperprolactinaemia. Circulating E2 levels were largely subnormal suggesting an inhibitory effect of prolactin on ovarian E2 production. Prolactin levels over 100 ng/ml are suggestive of pituitary adenoma.