Prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia and galactorrhoea in secondary amenorrhoea

Using Commercial R.I.A. Kits, plasma prolactin levels have been assayed in 41 Nigerian women with secondary amenorrhoea and in 10 normal ovulating women. The prolactin levels were 34.5 +/- 28.9 ng/ml and 14 +/- 6.8 ng/ml respectively; these prolactin levels differed significantly (p less than 0.001). Fifteen amenorrhoeic women had prolactin levels exceeding 28 ng/ml while no normal women had such prolactin levels. The highest prolactin levels, greater than 100 ng/ml were in the two patients with pituitary tumours. The relative frequency of galactorrhoea in patients with secondary amenorrhoea was 19.5%. The results of this study are comparable with those obtained in Caucasians.