Quick answer
The Serum Prolactin Test costs ₹500 at Live Line Health Care. Checks the milk-making hormone prolactin, often behind irregular or missed periods, milky nipple discharge, infertility or low sex drive. No fasting is needed. It uses a blood sample and the report is usually ready within 24 hours. Book home sample collection or visit any of our 45 centres.
Also known as: Prolactin, Serum Prolactin, S. Prolactin, PRL, Prolactin Level, Serum Prolatin, Lactogenic Hormone
What is the Prolactin Test?
Prolactin is a hormone made by the pituitary gland. Its best known job is to start and maintain breast milk after childbirth, but it also acts on the ovaries and testes. When prolactin stays high outside pregnancy and breastfeeding, it suppresses the hormones that control ovulation and sperm production, which can lead to irregular or missed periods, difficulty conceiving, low libido and, in some people, a milky discharge from the nipples.
Prolactin is unusually sensitive to everyday triggers. Stress, poor sleep, a needle prick, recent exercise, breast examination and many common medicines can push it up for a while, which is why a mildly raised result is often repeated before anyone looks further. A clearly high and persistent level can come from an underactive thyroid, certain medicines, kidney disease or a small, usually benign growth in the pituitary called a prolactinoma, and a doctor sorts out which applies.
What it measures: The concentration of prolactin in serum, usually reported in ng/mL. Some labs report it in µIU/mL or mIU/L, where the numbers are about 21 times larger.
Parameters included (1)
- Serum Prolactin
Why is this test done?
- Investigating irregular, scanty or absent periods
- Looking for a cause of infertility in women or men
- Evaluating milky nipple discharge (galactorrhoea) when not breastfeeding
- Assessing low sex drive or erectile difficulty in men
- Monitoring a known prolactinoma or treatment with cabergoline or bromocriptine
- Checking for side effects of medicines known to raise prolactin, such as some antipsychotics
When should you get tested?
- Periods that have become irregular or stopped, without pregnancy
- Milky discharge from one or both nipples
- Trying to conceive for a year or more without success (six months if over 35)
- Reduced sex drive, erectile problems or breast enlargement in men
- Persistent headaches or changes in side vision
How to prepare for the Prolactin Test
- 1No fasting is needed, but give the sample at least 2 to 3 hours after waking, as prolactin is naturally high during and just after sleep.
- 2Sit and rest quietly for 15 to 20 minutes before the sample is drawn. Rushing in, stress or anxiety about the needle can raise prolactin.
- 3Avoid nipple or breast stimulation, sexual activity and heavy exercise in the hours before the test.
- 4Tell the staff about all your medicines, especially those for acidity, nausea, mental health or blood pressure. Do not stop any medicine without your doctor’s advice.
Prolactin Test normal range
| Parameter | Typical reference range |
|---|---|
| Women (not pregnant) | About 4.8–23.3 ng/mL |
| Men | About 4.0–15.2 ng/mL |
| Pregnancy | Rises steadily, often reaching 10 times the non-pregnant level by the third trimester |
| Breastfeeding | Stays raised and peaks after each feed |
Multiply ng/mL by about 21 to convert to µIU/mL. Upper limits differ between analysers, so compare with the range on your report. Ranges are typical adult values and vary between labs, age and sex. Always use the range printed on your report and discuss results with your doctor.
Understanding your results
- A mildly raised prolactin, below about 50 ng/mL, is often due to stress, a recent meal, sleep timing or medicines. Doctors usually repeat it, under proper resting conditions, before doing anything else.
- Some people have macroprolactin, a large, mostly inactive form of prolactin that shows up as a high result without causing symptoms. A lab can check for it if the number does not match how you feel.
- A persistently high prolactin needs a look for causes. Typical checks are a pregnancy test, a thyroid test, kidney function and a review of medicines, and sometimes an MRI of the pituitary.
- Very high levels, often above 150 to 200 ng/mL outside pregnancy, make a prolactinoma more likely. Most prolactinomas are benign and respond well to medicine.
- A low prolactin is uncommon and rarely matters, except after childbirth when it can affect milk supply.
Health packages that include this test
The Prolactin Test is included in these full body checkups:
Book the Prolactin Test in your city
Same price at all 45 centres. Choose your city for local centres and timings.
Telangana
Prolactin Test – FAQs
What is the price of the Prolactin Test?
The Serum Prolactin Test costs ₹500 at Live Line Health Care, at all 45 centres and for home sample collection.
Why does my doctor want the prolactin sample at a specific time?
Prolactin follows a daily rhythm. It rises during sleep and stays high for a short while after waking, then settles by mid-morning. A sample taken too soon after waking, or in a rush, can look high even when nothing is wrong. Mid-morning after a short rest gives the most reliable result.
Can stress increase prolactin levels?
Yes. Physical or emotional stress, including worry about having blood taken, can raise prolactin for a short time. This is one reason a single mildly high value is usually repeated. Resting quietly for 15 to 20 minutes before the sample helps reduce this effect.
Can high prolactin stop me from getting pregnant?
It can. High prolactin suppresses the hormones that trigger ovulation, so periods may become irregular and eggs may not be released. The good news is that once the cause is found and treated, ovulation often returns. Your gynaecologist will guide the right tests and treatment.
Which medicines can raise prolactin?
Common examples include domperidone and metoclopramide for nausea or acidity, many antipsychotics, some antidepressants, certain blood pressure tablets and opioid painkillers. Estrogen can raise it mildly too. Tell your doctor about everything you take, and never stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
Do men get high prolactin?
Yes, though it is often found later because men do not have the period changes that prompt early testing in women. In men, high prolactin can cause low sex drive, erectile difficulty, reduced sperm count and sometimes breast enlargement. Headaches or vision changes need prompt medical review.
What is a prolactinoma, and is it cancer?
A prolactinoma is a growth of the pituitary gland that makes too much prolactin. Almost all are benign, meaning not cancer. Most are small and are treated with tablets that bring prolactin down and shrink the growth. An MRI is used to confirm the size.
Where can I get the Prolactin Test done?
At any of our 45 Live Line Health Care centres in 40 cities across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Kakinada and Nellore, or book home sample collection.
Medical disclaimer: This information is for general awareness only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor to interpret your results and before starting or changing any treatment.