THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROLACTIN LEVEL AND THE DURATION OF LACTATIONAL AMENORRHOEA IN LACTATING SUDANESE WOMEN

Background: This study aimed to assess the relationship between the prolactin (PRL) level and the duration of lactational amenorrhoea in lactating Sudanese women. Methods: Sudanese women (135) from Omdurman area with different ages (18-41 years) and stages of lactation were included, 61 of them participated by giving venous blood samples and filling a questionnaire, while the others by filling the questionnaire only. Pregnant women, contraceptives users, and hypothyroid patients were excluded. The subjects were divided into lactational amenorrhoeic (Group I), and lactating menstruating subjects (Group II). Then each group was subdivided according to the duration of lactation into: - Lactating for six months or less. Lactating for more than six months. Prolactin level was measured using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results: In this study the mean prolactin level in-group I (2934.99 mU/L) was significantly higher compared with group II (707.46 mU/L) (P<0.05). For the duration of lactation, PRL level in the first six months was higher (4414 mU/L), (1506.60 mU/L) in group I, and group II respectively, while this level decreased after six months (1538 mU/L), (517.19 mU/L) for the two groups. Also we found that factors like breast-feeding patterns, utilization of supplementary foods, and the number of parities had a significant effect on the duration of lactational amenorrhoea. Conclusions: There was a positive relationship between PRL level and the duration of lactational amenorrhoea (r=0.39)