What is Prolactin ?
The Prolactin test measures the level of prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, in the blood. Prolactin plays a crucial role in reproductive health and is primarily responsible for stimulating milk production (lactation) after childbirth. Beyond its role in breastfeeding, prolactin also affects ovulation and fertility in women and may influence testosterone levels in men. In normal circumstances, prolactin levels are higher during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Elevated or reduced levels outside these conditions can signal underlying health issues, such as pituitary gland disorders or other hormonal imbalances. Doctors often order the prolactin test when patients present symptoms like unexplained breast milk production (galactorrhea), irregular menstrual cycles, or infertility in women. In men, symptoms such as reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, or low testosterone levels may prompt this test. The test is also used to diagnose and monitor conditions like prolactinoma, a benign tumor of the pituitary gland that can lead to excessive prolactin production.
Prolactin Report Format: Breakdown
Here’s what an ideal Prolactin report format should include:
Header Information:
- Patient Details: Full name, Age, Gender, and ID.
- TAT information: Timestamp for both sample collection and report generation.
- Doctor's Information: Name of the referral doctor, if applicable.
Test Results Section:
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Patient's results
As obvious as it is, a test report should definitely have the patient's test result.
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Result's Unit
The unit of the test result must be mentioned correctly in the report. Prolactin test is generally reported in “ng/mL”
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Prolactin Normal Value / Reference Range
The report must have the normal Prolactin range. It can differ slightly based on the reagents used by the lab and other internal factors, but common Prolactin ranges are:
For females, 0 - 100 year of age: 34 - 386 For males, 0 - 100 year of age: < 15
Interpretations
Nowadays, most labs prefer to add interpretations to the reports, making the report more patient-friendly. Labsmart software has interpretations of all routine test pre-filled in the software.
Footer Section:
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Certifications:
Display any relevant accreditations (e.g., NABL, ISO), adding to your lab's credibility.
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Pathologist and technician signature:
It's mandatory to add a Pathologist and technician signature to the report.
PRL Interpretation
In Labsmart software, this is the inbuilt interpretation for Prolactin
Importance of adding interpretation to reports:
It's very helpful to add interpretation in reports as it makes the reports more patient friendly and also helpful to doctors in some cases. Moreover, presently most labs prefer providing reports with interpretation. Thus, adding interpretation to report will help your lab stay at par with other competitor labs.
Labsmart software
(With Interpretation and auto calculations)
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- Reports with Interpretation
- Auto calculation where needed
- Check daily business
- WhatsApp reports
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PRL MS Word format
Download the Ms word editable Prolactin report format for offline reporting.
Download word format
