Correlation of serum thyroid stimulating hormone and prolactin in female infertility-a case control study

Thyroid dysfunction and high prolactin levels can affect fertility due to anovulatory cycles, luteal phase defects and sex hormone imbalance. The study was designed to evaluate the status of Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin in female infertility after exclusion of tubal factor and male factor infertility, and to determine the degree of association of TSH with prolactin in cases of infertility.

The study design was a randomized case control study conducted at Rohilkhand Medical College & Hospital, Bareilly, U.P. The study subjects included 50 infertile and 50 normal fertile women in the age group of 20–40 years attending Gynaecology OPD during one year study period. The TSH and prolactin hormones were assayed using Enhanced Chemiluminescence Immunoassay and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Student's t-test, Analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation were used to analyze the data, with the significant p-level set at <0.05.

We found significantly higher mean TSH and prolactin levels in infertile females when compared with the normal fertile females. The mean TSH values were significantly higher in both primary and secondary infertility cases whereas mean prolactin level was significantly increased in primary infertility cases only. TSH and prolactin levels showed significant positive correlation in both primary and secondary infertility cases.

There is a greater propensity for thyroid dysfunction and a higher prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in infertile women than the fertile ones and therefore, estimation of thyroid profile and prolactin should be included in the workup for infertile women.