Variations of serum prolactin levels in Malay women from premenarche to the postmenopause.

A double-antibody radioimmunoassay technique has been used to investigate the serum prolactin (hPRL) level in Malay females from premenarche to the postmenopause. The results showed that the hPRL level (mena ± SEM) in the premenarchal, postmenarchal and late pubertal/reproductive subjects were 23.6 ± 2.3,19.1 ± 2.0 and 22.7 ± 1.9 ng] ml respectively. In premenopausal women, hPRL level (11.8 ± 2.4 ngjml} was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) compared to that of late pubertal group; the level declined even further after menopause (9.5 ± 1.7 ngjml}. Although the difference in the mean prolactin levels between premenopause and postmenopause were not significant, 73% of the postmenopausal women had serum prolactin concentrations below 10 ngjml compared to 44% of the premenopausal and 10% in late pubertal group.