title: An assessment of serum prolactin levels among infertile women with galactorrhea attending a gynecological clinic North-West Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Galactorrhea is a common manifestation of hyperprolactinemia but may not always be present in women with hyperprolactinemia. This study was, therefore, undertaken to assess the serum prolactin levels of infertile women presenting with galactorrhea and to determine the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia among them.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of serum prolactin levels of 63 female partners of infertile couples attending the gynecological clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State, Nigeria, who were found to have galactorrhea from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013. Ethical clearance was obtained. Solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure serum prolactin. Sociodemographic characteristics were determined. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 statistical software. Absolute numbers and simple percentages were used to describe categorical variables. Similarly, quantitative variables were described using measures of central tendency (mean, median) and measures of dispersion (range, standard deviation) as appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of the women was 27.9 ± 5.6 years. In half of the cases (50%), galactorrhea was associated with menstrual disturbances, mainly amenorrhea (23.3%). Although most (63.3%) of the clients had normal serum prolactin level despite being galactorrheic, averagely there was a marked elevation in serum prolactin of as high as 40.3 ± 52.3 ng/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude, therefore, that the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in this study was low when compared with other studies and that galactorrhea does not always indicate raised serum prolactin levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel Ajuluchukwu
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ugwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adewale Olufemi
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ashimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Mohammed Yusuf
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Idris Usman
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Okunade Taiwo
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Lukman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Hamzah Abdurrahman
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Lawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Muhammed Abubakar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Also
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Amadi Ngozi
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Gift
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Halimat Muhammed
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kiri
keywords: Galactorrhea; Nigeria; hyperprolactinemia; infertility