I recently had blood work done to check my hormone levels due to chronic breast pain, fibrocystic breasts, headaches, ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries & uterine fibroids. Everything came back normal except my prolactin level was 46iu. What could this mean? I was told it could be a small tumor in the brain that can be detected with an MRI or it could be a thyroid problem. I was also told it could be as simple as too much stress and that it was too low to signify a possible pregnancy. Any recommendations?
Prolactin is a hormone secreted by the anterior cells of the pituitary gland. The control of prolactin secretion is regulated by the hypothalamus which is one of the structures in the brain.
The normal range of prolactin in females is 59 to 619IU/mL. Please confirm your findings as per the laboratory range used by your hospital.
MRI scan brain is done to look for any enlargement of pituitary gland responsible for the abnormal prolactin level. The other hormones like testosterone, LH and FSH are also to be measured to confirm your condition.
During pregnancy and postpartum lactation, serum prolactin can increase 10- to 20 times normal values. Exercise, stress, and sleep also cause transient increases in prolactin levels.
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What Does Prolactin Level 46 Iu Mean?
Hi, Thanks for writing in. Prolactin is a hormone secreted by the anterior cells of the pituitary gland. The control of prolactin secretion is regulated by the hypothalamus which is one of the structures in the brain. The normal range of prolactin in females is 59 to 619IU/mL. Please confirm your findings as per the laboratory range used by your hospital. MRI scan brain is done to look for any enlargement of pituitary gland responsible for the abnormal prolactin level. The other hormones like testosterone, LH and FSH are also to be measured to confirm your condition. During pregnancy and postpartum lactation, serum prolactin can increase 10- to 20 times normal values. Exercise, stress, and sleep also cause transient increases in prolactin levels.