Hyperprolactinemia and female infertility: Pattern of clinical presentation in a tertiary health facility in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Hyperprolactinemia is an extremely common disorder, especially among reproductive age women, affecting about one-third of infertile females. There is a paucity of data on the pattern of clinical presentation of hyperprolactinemia among infertile female patients in Nigeria. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the pattern of clinical presentation of hyperprolactinemic infertile female patients in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Northern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Blood sample of 120 infertile female patients aged 15–45 years attending the infertility clinic at ABUTH over 9 months was taken. Data on clinical signs and symptoms were collected using interview-administered questionnaire. Serum prolactin was assayed by microwell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique based on the noncompetitive sandwich principle. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 20 (Syntron Bioresearch. Inc. California, United States of America (USA)). Results: The mean serum level of prolactin concentration at presentation was 31 ng/ml (range, 2.5–109 ng/ml). Sixty-two patients (51.7%) had hyperprolactinemia and 58 (48.3%) had normal prolactin level. The majority of those with hyperprolactinemia 58.6% were in the 25–34 years' age group. Of those with hyperprolactinemia, majority (27.4%) presented with galactorrhea and others presented with symptoms such as menstrual abnormalities, recurrent abortion, hirsutism, and mixed presentations. However, 25.8% of them were symptomless. Conclusion: Galactorrhea was the most common mode of presentation among infertile hyperprolactinemic females in ABUTH, and a larger proportion were symptomless.