title: Thyroid hormones and prolactin levels in infertile women in southern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human infertility is a complex global health problem. It has multiple social consequences which are especially profound for thyroid hormones in infertility with the aim of determining the degree of association of thyroid hormones with hyperprolactinemia in our population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum levels of prolactin, T3, T4 and TSH were determined in 90 hyperprolactinemic infertile women, 90 normoprolactinemic infertile women and 50 fertile women. The hormones were assayed using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay kits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation were used to analyze the data, with the significant p-level set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly higher mean serum prolactin and TSH were observed among the infertile groups compared to the fertile controls (p<0.05). The mean serum T3 and T4 were significantly lower in the hyperprolactinemic infertile women compared to the fertile controls (p<0.05). The mean TSH and T3 of normoprolactinemic infertile women and controls were comparable (p>0.05). However, the mean T4 was significantly lower in normoprolactinemic infertile women compared to the fertile controls (p<0.05). In all the groups, TSH correlated inversely with T3 and T4, while T3 correlated positively with T4. It was only in the control group that prolactin correlated positively and significantly with TSH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is therefore concluded that hyperprolactinemia with thyroid dysfunction may be a major contributory hormonal factor in infertility among infertile women and as such, estimation of prolactin, T3, T4 and TSH should be included in the workup for infertile women especially those with hyperprolactinaemia.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer I, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Calabar , Calabar, Nigeria .
authors.forename: Iya Eze
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Bassey
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Calabar /Consultant Chemical Pathologist, Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital , Calabar, Nigeria .
authors.forename: Alphonsus Ekpe
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Udoh
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Calabar/Consultant Physician, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital , Calabar, Nigeria .
authors.forename: Okon Ekwerre
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Essien
authors.affiliation: Assistant Chief Medical Laboratory Scientist, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Calabar , Calabar, Nigeria .
authors.forename: Idongesit Kokoabasi Paul
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Isong
authors.affiliation: Lecturer I, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Maiduguri , Borno, Nigeria .
authors.forename: Rebecca Mtaku
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gali
authors.affiliation: Principal Medical Laboratory Scientist, Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital , Calabar, Nigeria .
authors.forename: Edim Eyo
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Archibong
keywords: Hyperprolactinemia; Infertility; Polypeptide hormone