Prolactin in seminal plasma of infertile men

Abstract

Twenty-one fertile and 103 infertile patients with oligospermia, azoospermia, impaired sperm motility and hypogonadism were evaluated for prolactin concentrations in serum, seminal plasma and split seminal plasma of two fractions. Prolactin concentration in the seminal plasma was two to three times higher than serum prolactin levels in fertile and infertile men. Prolactin concentration of the fraction 2 of the split ejaculate was higher than that of the fraction 1 and of the serum. Excessive high levels of serum prolactin and/or seminal plasma were found only among infertile patients with oligo- and azoospermia, impaired motility and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Prolactin is selectively accumulated in fraction 2 of the split ejaculate and affects the constituents of the seminal vesicular fluid, and excessive high prolactin concentrations of either seminal plasma or serum may be associated with male infertility.