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HYPERPROLACTINAEMIA DURING PROLONGED LACTATION: EVIDENCE FOR ANOVULATORY CYCLES AND INADEQUATE CORPUS LUTEUM
Author(s) -
DELVOYE P.,
DELOGNEDESNOECK J.,
ROBYN C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1980.tb01049.x
Subject(s) - corpus luteum , hyperprolactinaemia , ovulation , anovulation , lactation , luteal phase , medicine , endocrinology , menstruation , prolactin , menstrual cycle , incidence (geometry) , pregnancy , biology , ovary , hormone , diabetes mellitus , polycystic ovary , insulin resistance , physics , optics , genetics
SUMMARY Serum progesterone and prolactin were measured in single blood samples collected from 176 mothers during a lactation period of 2 years and from fifty‐six non‐lactating, non‐pregnant and regularly menstruating women from the Kivu region (Zaire). On the basis of serum progesterone levels, evidence of corpus luteum activity was obtained in 61% of non‐lactating women; but only 20% of non‐amenorrhoeic lactating mothers. This suggests an increased incidence of anovulatory cycles and/or cycles with short luteal phases among nursing mothers. The incidence of corpus luteum activity was 8% in amenorrhoeic lactating mothers. In this 8% recurrence of ovulation preceded return of menstruation. Mean serum progesterone was significantly higher and serum prolactin significantly lower in the non‐lactating women than in the nursing mothers. This suggests that although ovulation occurs, corpus luteum activity is inadequate in hyperprolactinaemic nursing mothers.