For women experiencing difficulty conceiving or repeated pregnancy loss, doctors may evaluate several factors, including ovarian function, the uterus, embryo quality and reproductive hormones. Prolactin is one hormone that can be relevant during this assessment.

Produced by the pituitary gland, prolactin is best known for its role in breast milk production. Levels naturally increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Outside these periods, persistently high levels are known as hyperprolactinaemia and can interfere with normal reproductive function.
Elevated prolactin can affect the hormones involved in ovulation and menstrual cycles. Depending on the underlying cause and severity, this may contribute to irregular periods, reduced ovulation and difficulty becoming pregnant.

However, a high prolactin level should not automatically be considered the explanation for repeated pregnancy loss. Recurrent pregnancy loss can have multiple causes, and prolactin results need to be interpreted alongside other clinical findings and investigations.

Prolactin levels can also be temporarily affected by factors such as stress, certain medications and other physiological conditions. For this reason, an abnormal result may require appropriate follow-up rather than being interpreted in isolation.

For women undergoing fertility evaluation, prolactin testing can therefore form part of a broader hormonal assessment when clinically indicated. If hyperprolactinaemia is confirmed, identifying its underlying cause is important because treatment depends on why prolactin is elevated.

The key point is that high prolactin can affect fertility, but it is not by itself proof of the cause of recurrent pregnancy loss. A fertility specialist or gynaecologist can interpret the result in the context of the individual's menstrual history, reproductive history and other test findings.