Why the hormone prolactin is elevated in women

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 00:05

In the endocrine system of a woman, a dozen hormones are produced with their own specific functions. An increase or decrease in their norm has a corresponding effect on the general state of health, up to the functional destabilization of the body's activity. One of the main hormones is prolactin, which is responsible for normal lactation. What is it - prolactin hormone in women, why it is increased or decreased, gynecologists know, and regulate its level with treatment.

The role of prolactin in a woman's body

The protein hormone prolactin is capable of affecting the brain, as it is synthesized by the pituitary gland and partly by the mucous membranes of the uterus. With deviations in the direction of decrease or increase, the activity of the pituitary gland is disrupted. This disorder is corrected conservatively or surgically.

Normally, the hormone prolactin in women, what it is, few people think. However, the functions of prolactin are very important for the normal functioning of the female reproductive organs.

Physiological functions of the hormone:

1. Activation of the ducts in the breast during pregnancy, as its preparation for subsequent lactation.
2. Breast enlargement during pregnancy.
3. Normal milk production during breastfeeding.
4. Normalization of the functions of the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone.
5. Development of the mammary glands during puberty.
6. Participation in ovulation.

Deviation of the hormone content from the norm is dangerous by disorders of the functions of the reproductive system. In a healthy woman, mammotropin determines the full menstrual cycle. In terms of the ability to become pregnant, the hormone supports the ability of a woman's immunity.

During pregnancy, the normal content of lactogenic hormone maintains a proportional volume of amniotic fluid, compliance with its required composition. A sufficient concentration of prolactin significantly reduces the likelihood of miscarriage. This is what it is - the hormone prolactin in women.

Its concentration is influenced by the functions of the brain in its full state, the emotional environment, and the presence of stressful situations. Mammotropin is not produced at the required rate when a woman experiences physical, psycho-emotional fatigue, insomnia, or has a history of endocrine diseases.

Woman's condition	Mammotropin norm indicator
During pregnancy	34-386 ng / ml
In normal state	4-23 ng / ml
During the first phase of the menstrual cycle	4.5-23 ng / ml
When ovulating	up to 32 ng / ml
After ovulation, before the final phase of the cycle	5-30 ng / ml

Determining the compliance with the norm of prolactin, the doctor takes into account the likelihood of varying indicators for each particular woman.

The data is primarily interpreted from the presence of:

• pregnancy;
• anorexia;
• polycystic ovary disease;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland.

If the patient has at least one of the listed factors, the doctors consider the analysis indicators to be unreliable. It is also taken into account when the woman was tested to determine what it is - the hormone prolactin in the patient's current state. The level of prolactin is determined by a blood test taken from a vein.

When a woman is tested to find out what it is - the hormone prolactin in her given state, the gynecologist will explain. The analysis is taken in the morning, on an empty stomach, without any intimate contacts during the day of donating blood, it is advisable to exclude any excitement and stress before taking the analysis. An important condition is to donate blood on the 5-8th day after the onset of menstruation. If these conditions are not met, the results of the analysis may be distorted.

If a woman is not fully prepared for donating blood, the analysis is postponed to a more favorable time, at least for a month, before the start of the next menstruation. Laboratory technicians carry out a blood test within 1-2 days, after which the result of the analysis goes to the doctor.

Reasons for an increase or decrease in lactogenic hormone

The reasons for the increase in the hormone prolactin in women, which causes this condition, can be various external factors:

1. Traumatic brain injury, regardless of the type of brain damage.
2. Stroke.
3. Frequent stressful situations, tense psycho-emotional atmosphere at work or at home.
4. Physical exhaustion.
5. Tumors in the brain, when a neoplasm presses on the pituitary gland, preventing it from performing its functions.
6. An infectious disease in the brain.

To correct the content of mammotropin, the doctor needs to know the presence of such factors, the likelihood of a hereditary disease. They treat the increased hormone prolactin in women, before finding out what it is, for what reason there was an increase.

What it is - a lowered hormone prolactin in women, is determined by various factors of an external and internal nature. The causes of low mamotropin are pituitary infarction, constant medication due to a chronic somatic disease. These drugs include Bromocriptine, Dopamine. The lactogenic hormone decreases due to diseases of the genetic type.

Other reasons for a decrease in lactogenic hormone are:

• during pregnancy for more than 42 weeks;
• postpartum damage to the pituitary gland;
• diseases of the brain of an infectious, tumor, destructive nature.

Prolactin usually decreases in women with the onset of menopause, after 50 years. Correction of a decrease in prolactin is easier after traumatic brain injury, inflammation. Genetic diseases complicate the correction.

Correction of prolactin levels is carried out with targeted treatment

The normalization of lactogenic hormone is not recommended for folk remedies, since the effect of herbal medicine on the brain tissue has not been studied. No traditional methods give the desired therapeutic result. Whereas in the treatment of such a pathology, delay is unacceptable.

Reduce prolactin levels with drugs:

1. Bromocriptine … First, a loading dose of 3 tablets at the same time, then the dose is reduced to 2.5 mg per day. The course of treatment is long - up to 8 months. The drug has side effects - nausea, vomiting, chills, tremors of the hands.
2. Dostinex … It is prescribed at 0.25 mg 2 times a day, the dose is adjusted after 1 week of treatment. The course of taking the drug is long - more than six months. The medicine has a side effect - digestion is disturbed, dyspeptic disorders occur, and the heart rate increases.
3. Parlodel … It is prescribed according to individual reception regimens for each patient, in accordance with her specific condition, well-being. The duration of the course is determined by the change in hormone indicators. The drug has a side effect - impaired bowel function, heart rate, emotional state.

Each of the drugs has its own advantages, but if you feel worse from taking them, you must definitely tell your doctor about it. In such a situation, a control analysis is carried out, according to the results of which the doctor cancels the medicine, or replaces it with a similar drug.

Increase the level of lactogenic hubbub:

• the introduction of nootropic drugs, usually Actovegin, Cerebrolysin, Piracetam. They improve blood circulation in the brain, activate the functions of the pituitary gland; a contraindication to the use of a nootropic drug is a stroke, impaired renal function;
• the appointment of estrogen-containing drugs, usually Proginova. Its active ingredient is estradiol valerate, 1 tablet is prescribed per day, 3 weeks. Then, a week later, a control blood test is done, if necessary, the course of treatment is repeated. A long break is excluded so as not to provoke uterine bleeding.

Proginova is a hormonal agent, its possible complication is the formation of thrombosis, weight gain, and the appearance of acne. On the manifestation of side effects, the course of treatment is stopped. Contraindication to taking the drug - age up to 18 years, fibroids, tumors of a malignant nature on the mammary glands, hypertension, liver dysfunction, breastfeeding.

Bonuses

1. An increase and decrease in mammotropin is corrected by medicines, excluding traditional medicine.
2. The choice of the drug depends on the condition of the woman, the doctor takes into account the likelihood of side effects, warns the patient about this.
3. Good rest, sleep is important, since prolactin is most actively produced at night.
4. It is important to get rid of bad habits - smoking, alcohol consumption.