Hyperprolactinaemia during prolonged lactation: evidence for anovulatory cycles and inadequate corpus luteum.
Serum progesterone and prolactin were measured in single blood samples collected from 176 mothers during a lactation period of 2 years and from fifty-six non-lactating, non-pregnant and regularly menstruating women from the Kivu region (Zaïre). On the basis of serum progesterone levels, evidence of corpus luteum activity was obtained in 61% of non-lactating women; but only 20% of non-amenorrhoeic lactating mothers. This suggests an increased incidence of anovulatory cycles and/or cycles with short luteal phases among nursing mothers. The incidence of corpus luteum activity was 8% in amenorrhoeic lactating mothers. In this 8% recurrence of ovulation preceded return of menstruation. Mean serum progesterone was significantly higher and serum prolactin significantly lower in the non-lactating women than in the nursing mothers. This suggests that although ovulation occurs, corpus luteum activity is inadequate in hyperprolactinaemic nursing mothers.
D000858:Anovulation; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
D011374:Progesterone; D011388:Prolactin