PREVALENCE OF HYPERPROLACTINEMIA AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING INFERTILITY CLINICS IN CALABAR, SOUTHSOUTH NIGERIA

Abstract

Background: Infertility is a worldwide problem affecting about
10% of couples. Hypothalamic- pituitary dysfunction due to
Hyperprolactinemia is one of the leading causes of anovulatory
infertility. However, there has been paucity of data on this
subject in Sub-saharan Africa, hence, the need for this work.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the
contribution of Hyperprolactinemia to female infertility in Calabar
and also assess any association with bio-social factors and
hypothyroidism.
Methods: In this comparative cross sectional study, prolactin
levels of 152 women in infertility clinics in Calabar were assessed.
One hundred and thirty-three fertile subjects with similar age and
socio-economic status were recruited from the family planning
clinics and enrolled as controls. Prolactin measurement was
performed using immunoassay auto-analyzer. Data were
collected and analyzed using SPSS version 16.
Results: The mean age of the women in infertile group was
30.7+1.38 (SD) and the mean age in the control was 29.3+1.39
(p-value > 0.05). The mean duration of infertility was 3.89 years
+ 3.433 (SD). Fifty seven patients among the infertile group had
high level of prolactin giving the prevalence of 37.5%. The
prevalence in the fertile group was 4.5%. The incidence of
hypothyroidism was rare. The correlation of hypothyroidism with
Hyperprolactinemia was 1:29. Oligomenorrhoea was the
commonest menstrual irregularity encountered in the infertile
women with Hyperprolactinemia and it occurred in 35.6% of
these women.
Conclusion: The prevalence of Hyperprolactinemia is significantly
high in infertile women. Hence, assessment of serum prolactin
levels should be included in the initial work up of all infertile
women especially those presenting with menstrual disturbances.

PREVALENCE OF HYPERPROLACTINEMIA AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING INFERTILITY CLINICS IN CALABAR, SOUTHSOUTH NIGERIA