ABSTRACT
Controversy over effects of oral contraceptives (OCs) on serum prolactin (PRL) levels from retrospective studies suggested performing a prospective study. Statistical analyses of PRL levels in 552 reproductive-age, nonmedicated women indicated a provisionally lognormal distribution of values less than 15 ng/ml, contaminated by a small number of abnormally high values less than or equal to 90 mg/ml. Truncated samples were used to estimate a "normal range" of PRL levels for three subsets of the study sample, classified according to number of weeks after pregnancy. Fifty-microgram estrogen-containing OCs doubled basal PRL levels at 5 to 8 weeks in those whose initial control values fell below 15 ng/ml, but the PRL elevation was no longer evident at 6 months of drug use. These OCs induced a small but significant lowering of PRL at 5 to 8 weeks in those with control levels of 15 ng/ml or higher. Thirty-five-microgram estrogen-containing OCs failed to alter PRL levels at 5 to 8 weeks in those with control values less than 15 ng/ml.
Subject(s)
Contraceptives, Oral , Prolactin/blood , Age Factors , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal , Estrogens , Female , Humans , Parity , Postpartum Period/blood , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
A sperm-coating antigen has been purified from human seminal plasma by a combination of fractionation methods including ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and diethylaminoethyl cellulose ion-exchange chromatography. The purified antigen was demonstrated to be immunologically identical sperm-coating antigen, not derived from blood serum but having immunologically cross-relating antigens in milk and saliva, and a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 33,000. The purpose of purifying this antigen was discussed.
