How Elevated Prolactin Affects Women’s Fertility: Causes and Solution

There are many factors involved in getting pregnant. However, your hormones play a significant part in this equation, and ensuring they are in balance is crucial for a successful pregnancy. One of the critical hormones that needs to be on your checklist is prolactin, as a high prolactin level can affect your fertility as a woman.

Prolactin is a hormone synthesized in the anterior pituitary that regulates various reproductive functions in men and women. Therefore, maintaining optimal levels of this hormone is essential for successful conception. This blog article sheds light on how elevated prolactin levels affect fertility.

What Is Prolactin and How Does It Influence Fertility?

Prolactin is a hormone primarily known for stimulating milk production during pregnancy and after childbirth. However, the functions of this hormone go beyond lactation as it plays indispensable roles in fertility. These functions include; regulation of the menstrual cycle, production of progesterone, control of ovulation, etc. Thus, elevated levels of prolactin can lead to irregular menstruation, anovulation, and hormonal imbalance.

Most importantly, the major mechanism by which prolactin affects fertility is by inhibiting the secretion of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH as the name implies, is a releasing hormone that stimulates the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). FSH allows follicles to develop which matures into an egg during the menstrual cycle. LH is responsible for inducing ovulation in women. Collectively, FSH and LH induce the production of estrogen and progesterone. Thus, high levels of prolactin elicit a cascade of hormonal insufficiency starting from inhibition of the synthesis of GnRH. Ultimately, this leads to infertility.

Causes of High Levels of Prolactin

High levels of prolactin also known as hyperprolactinemia can occur due to several causes;

• Hypothyroidism
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Chronic kidney or liver disease
• Certain medications such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antihypertensive, cimetidine, etc.
• Physical stress
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Oral contraceptives (when used for a long time)

Some of the causes of hyperprolactinemia are reversible and temporary such as physical stress and lactation. Some need a slight nudge with a fertility-boosting supplement such as NATURE’SFIELD FERTIL SUPPORT WOMAN. This will help regularize and restore normal prolactin levels while providing essential nutrients required to maintain a healthy reproductive cycle.  

Men also produce FSH and LH. The former activates testicular functions, regulates spermatogenesis, and influences the appearance of male sexual characteristics. LH regulates the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for sperm production. This implies that men can also experience hyperprolactinemia that can affect sperm production.

How to Manage Abnormal Prolactin Levels and Boost Fertility

Addressing high prolactin levels is crucial for improving fertility and overall reproductive health. Several approaches and lifestyle modifications can help manage prolactin levels, including:

• Lifestyle factors: This includes adopting stress management strategies, quality sleep, healthy body weight, and reducing the intake of caffeine and alcohol.
• Dietary changes: You should consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, zinc, and selenium. These constituents help regulate normal prolactin levels. You can also supplement with NATURE’SFIELD FERTIL SUPPORT WOMAN which contains these critical vitamins to support reproductive health.

Abnormal prolactin levels can have various effects, including irregular menstrual cycles, ovulation problems, decreased libido, etc. Therefore, understanding the causes of high prolactin and its deleterious impact on fertility is vital if you want to conceive or maintain optimal reproductive health. Unfortunately, hyperprolactinemia can make getting pregnant more difficult. But the good news is that early detection and treatment can normalize prolactin levels, boosting your chances of conceiving.