Also Known AsPRL Test, Prolactin Hormone Test, Serum Prolactin Test
Sample TypeBlood (venous)
Fasting RequiredNot strictly mandatory, but a light fasting or fasting state is preferred. Sample should ideally be collected 2–3 hours after waking, between 8 AM and 10 AM.
Report DeliveryWithin 48 hours of sample collection
Age GroupAll age groups
GenderMale and Female
Test TypeHormonal assay / Endocrine test
Unitsng/mL (nanograms per millilitre) or mIU/L (milliunits per litre)
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The Prolactin (PRL) test is a blood test that measures the level of prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain. Prolactin plays a primary role in stimulating breast milk production in women after childbirth and is also involved in regulating the reproductive system in both men and women. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, prolactin levels rise naturally and significantly. Outside of pregnancy and breastfeeding, prolactin levels are expected to remain within a defined normal range in both men and women.
When prolactin levels are abnormally high, a condition known as hyperprolactinaemia, it can disrupt the normal functioning of the reproductive hormones, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, unexplained infertility, and sexual dysfunction in both sexes. Elevated prolactin is one of the most common hormonal abnormalities seen in women of reproductive age presenting with fertility concerns at Indian hospitals and clinics. The most common cause of significantly elevated prolactin is a benign pituitary tumour called a prolactinoma, which is the most frequently occurring pituitary tumour in adults.
The test involves a simple blood draw of approximately 2 ml from a vein in the arm and is completed in under five minutes.
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Doctors prescribe a Prolactin test in the following situations:
Investigating irregular or absent menstrual periods in women of reproductive age, where elevated prolactin is a common but often overlooked hormonal cause.
Evaluating unexplained infertility in both men and women. High prolactin suppresses the hormones responsible for ovulation in women and testosterone production in men, directly affecting fertility.
Assessing galactorrhoea, which is spontaneous milk discharge from the breasts in women who are not pregnant or breastfeeding, and occasionally in men. This is one of the most distinctive signs of elevated prolactin.
Diagnosing a suspected prolactinoma when a patient presents with persistent headaches, visual disturbances, or hormonal symptoms. A prolactinoma is the most common functioning pituitary tumour and is frequently diagnosed through a combination of elevated prolactin and MRI imaging.
Monitoring prolactin levels in patients already diagnosed with a prolactinoma and undergoing treatment with dopamine agonist medications such as cabergoline or bromocriptine.
Evaluating erectile dysfunction and low libido in men, where elevated prolactin is an underdiagnosed but treatable hormonal cause.
Investigating hypothyroidism, as an underactive thyroid gland can cause secondary elevation of prolactin levels.
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The Prolactin test measures the concentration of prolactin hormone in the blood, reported in nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) or milliunits per litre (mIU/L).
Normal Prolactin Range in India
Normal prolactin values vary by sex and physiological state. The standard reference ranges followed across most Indian diagnostic laboratories are as follows.
For non-pregnant women, a normal prolactin level is between 2 and 29 ng/mL. For pregnant women, prolactin levels rise progressively throughout pregnancy and can reach 10 to 209 ng/mL in the third trimester, which is entirely normal. For men, a normal prolactin level is between 2 and 18 ng/mL.
Interpreting Prolactin Results
A mildly elevated prolactin between 25 and 100 ng/mL in non-pregnant women or above 18 ng/mL in men may be caused by stress, strenuous exercise before the blood draw, certain medications including antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anti-nausea drugs, or hypothyroidism.
A moderately to significantly elevated prolactin above 100 ng/mL strongly suggests the presence of a prolactinoma and typically requires MRI imaging of the pituitary gland for further evaluation.
A prolactin level above 250 ng/mL is almost exclusively associated with a macroprolactinoma, a larger pituitary tumour requiring urgent specialist management.
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Preparation for a Prolactin test requires specific attention to timing and pre-test conditions as prolactin levels fluctuate significantly throughout the day and in response to certain stimuli.
The blood sample should ideally be collected two to three hours after waking up in the morning. Prolactin levels are highest during sleep and immediately after waking and fall gradually over the first few hours after rising. Morning samples collected between 8 AM and 10 AM give the most clinically reliable results.
Avoid strenuous physical exercise, breast stimulation, and sexual activity for at least 24 hours before the test as these activities can cause a temporary physiological rise in prolactin that may produce a misleading result.
Avoid eating a high protein or high fat meal immediately before the test. Ideally, the test should be done in a fasting or light fasting state for the most accurate result, though this is not always mandatory.
Inform the phlebotomist about all medications you are currently taking. Antipsychotic medications, certain antidepressants, metoclopramide, domperidone, and opioid pain relievers are known to raise prolactin levels and your doctor will factor this into the interpretation.
Try to be in a relaxed state before sample collection. Emotional stress and physical discomfort including venepuncture itself can cause a transient spike in prolactin. If you are anxious, sit quietly for 20 to 30 minutes before the blood draw.
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If you are booking through SecondMedic platform the Prolactin test price in Hisar can cost you around Rs. 599.
The exact price for your Prolactin test in Hisar will be confirmed at the time of booking through SecondMedic. If your doctor has prescribed multiple tests alongside Prolactin, SecondMedic health packages available in Hisar include Prolactin as part of a broader hormonal or fertility panel at a significantly lower combined price.
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SecondMedic provides home sample collection for Prolactin test across all major areas of Hisar. You do not need to visit a lab or collection centre. A certified and trained phlebotomist comes to your home or workplace at your chosen time, collects the sample using sterile single-use equipment, and ensures it is transported to the NABL-accredited lab within the required time window for accurate processing.
Please note that SecondMedic provides free home sample collection on all tests priced above Rs. 300. Our team will check your pincode and confirm if your address in Hisar falls under our free sample collection eligibility criteria, which depends upon the lab location and phlebotomist availability.
Home collection in Hisar is available between 7 AM and 10 PM, seven days a week, including Sundays and public holidays. Enter your pincode on the booking page or call our helpline to confirm availability at your address in Hisar.
Yes, Prolactin test is available in Hisar through SecondMedic with home collection and walk-in options. SecondMedic ensures this hormonal test is accessible across all major serviceable areas in Hisar with NABL-accredited processing.
If you are booking through SecondMedic platform the Prolactin test price in Hisar can cost you around Rs. 599. The exact price will be confirmed at the time of booking and may vary if booked as part of a broader hormonal or fertility panel.
Your Prolactin report will be delivered within 24 hours of sample collection in Hisar directly on WhatsApp and email. No physical visit to any centre in Hisar is required to collect the report.
All Prolactin samples collected in Hisar are processed at NABL-accredited partner laboratories using validated immunoassay methods. Precise prolactin measurement is critical as treatment decisions for prolactinoma and infertility are directly based on the hormone level.
Yes, SecondMedic provides home sample collection for Prolactin test across all major areas of Hisar. For best results, book an early morning slot between 8 AM and 10 AM as prolactin levels are most stable and clinically reliable during this window.
Yes, home collection for Prolactin test in Hisar is available on Sundays and all public holidays between 7 AM and 10 PM. Patients undergoing fertility evaluation or prolactinoma monitoring can book any day without scheduling constraints.
Prolactin test is prescribed to investigate irregular periods, unexplained infertility, and spontaneous breast discharge in women, as elevated prolactin is one of the most common and treatable hormonal causes of these conditions. It is also ordered in men with low libido or erectile dysfunction where prolactin excess is a possible underlying cause.
Normal prolactin levels for non-pregnant women are 2 to 29 ng/mL and for men are 2 to 18 ng/mL as per standard Indian laboratory references. Pregnant and breastfeeding women naturally have much higher levels which are not considered abnormal.
A mildly elevated prolactin may be caused by stress, medications, or hypothyroidism, while a significantly elevated level above 100 ng/mL strongly suggests a prolactinoma requiring MRI evaluation. Your doctor will interpret the result alongside your symptoms and other hormonal tests before arriving at a diagnosis.
PubMed/Clinical Endocrinology — Diagnosis and management of hyperprolactinaemia: the Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline, Clinical Endocrinology, 2011
— pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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PubMed/Pituitary — Prolactinoma and pregnancy: a systematic review of 455 pregnancies in 272 women, Pituitary, 2020
— pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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PubMed/Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism — Hyperprolactinemia in clinical practice: an Indian perspective, Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2012
— pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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PubMed/Fertility and Sterility — Prolactin and its disorders in women with infertility, Fertility and Sterility, 2015
— pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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