EFFECT OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES ON SERUM PROLACTIN: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN 126 NORMAL PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

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Abstract
A prospective longitudinal study was carried out in 126 normal premenopausal women aged 18–34 years to determine the effect of oral contraceptives containing less than 50 μg of oestrogen on serum prolactin concentration. The mean prolactin concentration in patients receiving oral contraceptives (n= 80) rose from a control level of 8·9 ng/ml to 10·2 ng/ml at 3 months (P < 0·05) and 10·9 ng/ml at 12 months (P < 0·001). In a parallel group of patients (n= 46) who used intrauterine devices for contraception, no significant change in serum prolactin concentration was observed over the same period. It is concluded that currently available oral contraceptives have a small but significant stimulatory effect on prolactin secretion in normal women.