Prolactin

This test measures the quantity of prolactin (PRL) in an individual’s blood sample. It is a hormone produced by the posterior pituitary gland, and its primary function is to trigger breast development and milk production in women. Therefore, prolactin plays a major role in lactation in women after childbirth. Doctors recommend getting a prolactin test to assess the following:

• The cause of galactorrhea (milky or clear white discharge from breasts of non- pregnant/lactating women)
• The cause of headaches, visual disturbances, infertility, and erectile dysfunction in men 
• Detection of infertility in females
• Assessing and monitoring of anterior pituitary gland function (along with other hormones) in cases of failed lactation