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Prolactin - Results

Alternative Names

PRL

Normal Values:

The normal values for prolactin are as follows:

Males: 2 - 18 ng/mL
Non-pregnant females: 2 - 29 ng/mL
Pregnant women: 10 - 209 ng/mL

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

Note: ng/mL = nanograms per milliliter

What abnormal results mean:

People with the following conditions may have high prolactin levels:

Chest wall trauma or irritation
Hypothalamic disease
Hypothyroidism
Kidney disease
Pituitary tumor that makes prolactin (prolactinoma)
Other pituitary tumors and diseases

Certain medications can also raise prolactin levels, including:

Antidepressants
Butyrophenones
Estrogens
H2 blockers
Methyldopa
Metoclopramide
Phenothiazines
Reserpine

If your prolactin levels are high, the test may be repeated in the early morning after an 8-hour fast.

Reviewed last on: 3/18/2008
Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Melmed S, Kleinberg D. Anterior pituitary. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008: chap 8.

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