Changes in serum prolactin level during intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and effect on clinical pregnancy rate: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND: Transient hyperprolactinemia was proven to adversely affect the outcome of IVF. We aimed to identify changes in serum prolactin levels in patients undergoing ICSI, and to evaluate the effect of these changes on the clinical pregnancy rate. METHODS: A prospective observational study included 90 patients scheduled for ICSI cycles. In each case 4 serum samples were collected during the cycle (midluteal, before ovum pick up procedure (OPU), 2 h after OPU, and before embryo transfer). Serum prolactin level was determined by immunoassay each time. RESULTS: The sample collected 2 h after OPU had a mean difference of 25.8 ± 2.8 ng/ml compared to the basal serum prolactin (p < 0.01). In comparison to other samples, this highlighted a significant hyperprolactinemia occurring after OPU, and resolving before embryo transfer. No statistically significant difference between the different serum prolactin samples amongst the pregnant and non pregnant patients. There was a significant positive pearson correlation between the prolactin levels before OPU, and the presence of higher quality embryos (r = 0.274, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: In normoprolactinemic women transient hyperprolactinemia is identified in patients undergoing ICSI, and it doesn’t affect the clinical pregnancy rates. A positive correlation was identified between higher quality embryos, and serum prolactin level before OPU. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02292953, First received: November 10, 2014.