Hyperprolactinemia: Causes, Links to Fertility, and Treatment Options

When your body makes too much prolactin, a hormone mainly known for triggering breast milk production. Also known as high prolactin levels, it can quietly disrupt your menstrual cycle and stop ovulation—making it harder to get pregnant. This isn’t rare. Up to 1 in 4 women with unexplained infertility have hyperprolactinemia, a condition where prolactin levels rise above normal without pregnancy or breastfeeding. It’s not just about milk—it’s about your whole reproductive system being thrown off balance.

What causes it? Sometimes a small, harmless tumor on the pituitary gland (called a prolactinoma) is to blame. But more often, it’s simpler: stress, certain medications like antidepressants or antipsychotics, hypothyroidism, or even too much nipple stimulation. If you’ve had irregular periods, no periods at all, or breast milk when you’re not pregnant, hyperprolactinemia should be checked. Blood tests are quick, and treating it often brings fertility back without IVF. Many women start ovulating again within weeks of taking dopamine agonists, medications like cabergoline or bromocriptine that lower prolactin by mimicking dopamine. These aren’t fertility drugs—they’re hormone balancers. And they work.

It’s also linked to other conditions you might be dealing with. For example, if you have PCOS, high prolactin can make your symptoms worse. Or if you’re on thyroid medication and still not getting your period, your prolactin might be the missing piece. Even if you’ve tried Clomiphene or letrozole and nothing worked, your doctor might not have checked your prolactin levels. That’s why so many women feel stuck—they’re treating symptoms, not the root cause. The posts below cover real cases where fixing prolactin made the difference: from women who got pregnant after stopping a medication that raised their levels, to those who switched from expensive IVF drugs to simple pills that restored their natural cycle. You’ll also find comparisons of dopamine agonists, how they stack up against other fertility treatments, and what to watch for with side effects. This isn’t just theory—it’s what actually helps women get pregnant faster.