Prolactin

Prolactin's primary role is to stimulate the release of milk from the lactating mammary gland in females. This blood test may be requested, along with other hormone levels such as growth hormone, when either hypopituitarism (deficient pituitary function which may present as a thyroid or adrenal problem) or hyperpituitarism (a high level of prolactin which can be caused by stress or certain medication, or a tumour within the pituitary gland) is suspected. Many bodily functions depend upon prolactin,