What Is a Prolactinoma? Medically Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD on October 17, 2020 Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland at the base of your brain. It makes several different hormones, including one called prolactin. Prolactin affects the mammary glands and helps women make breast milk. Sometimes, a tumor grows on the pituitary gland and makes too much prolactin. This kind of tumor is called a prolactinoma. It's the most common type of pituitary tumor and is most often benign, which means it’s not cancer. A new mom's prolactin levels go up every time their baby nurses. But for men or women who aren't nursing, high prolactin in the blood can be a sign of a prolactinoma. Doctors don't know what causes it, but it's fairly common. It happens more often in women than men, and it's rare in kids. Symptoms The signs of a prolactinoma are different in men and women. For women, typical symptoms of a small tumor include: Irregular menstrual periods Lack of menstrual periods Low sex drive Painful intercourse (caused by vaginal dryness) Problems with fertility Unusual production of breast milk Because changes in a woman's period are obvious, prolactinomas are more likely to be found early in premenopausal women. Postmenopausal women, who no longer get their periods, may not notice symptoms when the tumor is small. When a prolactinoma becomes large, it may press up against other nearby tissues. Symptoms then can include vision loss, vision changes, and headaches. Best Fertility Crae Centre , Maternal & Child Health Care Centre , Advanced Fertility Care Centre , Ashwini Hospital & Fertility Centre Moondrumavadi K.Pudur Madurai-07
read more read more We hate spam too.
