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			Concern Treatment Pregnancy Experiences Concern Evaluating Your Fertility Understanding Fertility Maximise Your Fertility Infertility: An Introduction Infertility in Females Impact of Age Ovulatory Classification of Disorders Clinical Features of Disorders Possible Causes of Disorders Lack of Ovulation Irregular Ovulation Polycystic Ovary Disease Inadequate Luteal Phase Prolactin Disorders Anatomical Chromosomal Disorders Other Causes (Idiopathic) Infertility in Males Implications of Infertility Questions to Ask Your Doctor		Prolactin disorders After childbirth, secretion of the pituitary hormone prolactin stimulates the breast to produce milk. During its period of greatest secretion, prolactin inhibits the intermittent release of GnRH. This prevents ovulation and causes the period of subfertility that follows normal childbirth. Hypersecretion of prolactin outside the period of lactation, usually due to the presence of a benign, prolactin-secreting pituitary tumour, is a cause of subfertility. Because GnRH is inhibited, the hypophysis does not secrete LH and FSH in the normal way. This means that there is no follicular development, no ovulation and no menstruation. The signs of hyperprolactinaemia are amenorrhoea and galactorrhoea (spontaneous leakage of milk from the breast) and the condition is confirmed by measurement of circulating prolactin levels.
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