Acute Changes in Serum Prolactin Concentration Have No Effect on the Secretion of Progesterone, Estradiol, or Chorionic Gonadotropin during Early Pregnancy*

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Abstract
The relationship between the circulating levels of PRL [prolactin] and progesterone, estradiol and hCG [human chorionic gonadotropin] was studied during the 1st half of pregnancy. The subjects were 9 hyperprolactinemic women [Group [Gr] 1] who conceived during bromocriptine treatment and whose treatment was discontinued at the 7th-11th wk of gestation; 5 women [Gr 2] given chlorpromazine during the 11th-12th wk of pregnancy and 4 pregnant women given bromocriptine during the 11th and 12th wk of pregnancy [Gr 3]. In Gr 1, discontinuation of bromocriptine resulted in elevated serum PRL concentrations, but this was not associated with any significant changes in the circulating levels of estradiol, progesterone and hCG. In Gr 2, chlorpromazine increased the serum PRL concentration but had no effect on serum estradiol, progesterone or hCG concentrations. In Gr 3, bromocriptine decreased the serum PRL level, but this was not associated with any alteration in steroid hormone or hCG levels. Evidently during early pregnancy acute moderate changes in the serum PRL concentration do not affect placental hormone secretion.