Prolactin test is a measure of the proportion of milk hormone in the blood, which is secreted from the pituitary gland in the brain. It is at its highest levels during pregnancy and after childbirth because its main role is to stimulate milk production in the breasts. It is excreted in small amounts in men and in women outside of pregnancy.
Reasons for performing a milk hormone analysis
A prolactin test is usually requested if symptoms of prolactinoma appear, which is a type of tumor that arises in the pituitary gland:
Severe headache. vision problems; Galactorrhoea, which is the production of milk in men, or in non-pregnant or lactating women. Hirsutism in women, and abnormal facial and body hair loss in men. Impotence. Milk hormone analysis can be resorted to in cases of infertility and menstrual disorders in women, and in cases of infertility and sexual weakness in men.
To rule out problems with the pituitary gland and to look for other causes of these problems.
What will happen during the analysis of the milk hormone?
We mention the most important things to know about the milk hormone analysis in the following:
A small sample of venous blood will be drawn and collected in a test tube for the prolactin to be analyzed for the blood serum. You don't need any special procedures to prepare before the hCG test, but you should have the hCG test done within 3-4 hours of waking up because the hCG levels change throughout the day.
There are no risks or complications associated with a prolactin test. Normal prolactin levels
The normal levels of prolactin are shown as follows and may differ from one laboratory to another:
In men: less than 20 ng/ml.
In non-pregnant women: less than 25 ng/ml.
Pregnant women: 80-400 ng/ml.
Results of high milk hormone analysis
The prolactin hormone rises due to prolactinoma in most cases, but it may rise for other reasons, including:
The progesterone test in the blood is one of the tests required by the doctor to check the amount of progesterone in your blood, a hormone that helps a healthy pregnancy. "Reassure yourself" We learn about the importance of progesterone analysis and the appropriate time for it, according to the progyny website.
Progesterone is a hormone produced mainly in the ovaries by the corpus luteum (what the follicle turns into after the egg is released) - in preparing the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg, if a fertilized egg implants, the progesterone helps in the lining of the uterus to maintain pregnancy, during pregnancy, the placenta produces progesterone To support a healthy pregnancy.
The importance of a progesterone test
If you're experiencing a miscarriage or unusual bleeding, your doctor may also check progesterone, as it's also known to support a healthy pregnancy. Women with low progesterone and a history of miscarriage may be prescribed progesterone supplements once pregnancy is confirmed and progesterone supplements may help reduce the chances of another miscarriage by improving the uterine environment to help the pregnancy continue.
Progesterone levels rise after ovulation and reach their peak 5 to 9 days after the luteal phase, which occurs during the second half of the menstrual cycle, and after ovulation occurs, so the level of progesterone is usually checked six to eight days after ovulation (around day 21). From the 28th day of the ovulation cycle). And the levels of progesterone in the blood will start to drop if the egg is not fertilized. If your progesterone level is high in a certain range during the luteal phase, this probably means that you are ovulating.
If your progesterone level is not high, it may mean that you are not ovulating. If your period is irregular, you may be asked to attend for several blood tests until your period begins. This can determine when ovulation has occurred and ensure an accurate test result.
The causes of low progesterone levels: Obesity - Insulin resistance - High stress levels - Poor nutrition - Lack of exercise The reason why progesterone levels are higher than normal can be: - Adrenal cancer. -ovarian cancer. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. During pregnancy, progesterone levels are constantly high (until just beyond the luteal phase of your cycle).
Results of progesterone analysis The normal level of progesterone in men and women after menopause, and women at the beginning of the menstrual cycle:
1 ng/ml or less. Women in the middle of the menstrual cycle: 5-20 ng/ml. Pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy: 11.2 to 90 ng/ml. Pregnant women in the second trimester: 25.6 to 89.4 ng/ml. Pregnant women in the third trimester: 48.4 to 42.5 ng/ml