{"id":"prolactin","name":"Prolactin","shortName":"Prolactin","aliases":["PRL","Prolactin, Serum","Prolactin Level","Prolactin (PRL)","Prolactin, Total","Prolactina","Prolaktin","PRL test","Prolactin Test","Prolactin Blood Test"],"abbreviations":["PRL"],"loinc":[{"code":"2842-3","primary":true},{"code":"20568-2","primary":false},{"code":"15081-3","primary":false},{"code":"83111-5","primary":false}],"specimen":"serum","units":[{"ucum":"ng/mL","display":"ng/mL"},{"ucum":"m[IU]/L","display":"mIU/L"},{"ucum":"pmol/L","display":"pmol/L"},{"ucum":"nmol/L","display":"nmol/L"}],"referenceRanges":[{"population":"Men, 10+","low":2.1,"high":17.7,"unit":"ng/mL","unitDisplay":"ng/mL","note":"ARUP chemiluminescent immunoassay, males 10 years and older. MedlinePlus and Samperi 2019 give a simpler cutoff of under 20 ng/mL (µg/L) for men. A university-hospital study of healthy men on two immunoassay platforms found upper limits of about 15 to 16 ng/mL (Schüring 2016). Intervals depend on the assay, so use the one printed on your report.","sources":[{"title":"Prolactin (test 0070115)","url":"https://ltd.aruplab.com/Tests/Pub/0070115","publisher":"ARUP Laboratories"},{"title":"Prolactin blood test","url":"https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003718.htm","publisher":"MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine)"},{"title":"Hyperprolactinaemia","url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6947286/","publisher":"Journal of Clinical Medicine (Samperi, Lithgow, Karavitaki)","year":2019},{"title":"Establishing Reference Intervals for Sex Hormones on the Analytical Platforms Advia Centaur and Immulite 2000XP","url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4697344/","publisher":"Annals of Laboratory Medicine (Schüring et al.)","year":2016}]},{"population":"Women, 10+","low":2.8,"high":29.2,"unit":"ng/mL","unitDisplay":"ng/mL","note":"ARUP chemiluminescent immunoassay, females 10 years and older who are not pregnant. MedlinePlus and Samperi 2019 give a simpler cutoff of under 25 ng/mL (µg/L) for women who are not pregnant. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and hormonal birth control can raise prolactin (ARUP). Intervals vary with cycle phase and assay: the same study found upper limits of about 40 to 42 ng/mL in the follicular phase and about 50 ng/mL in the luteal phase in healthy women (Schüring 2016).","sources":[{"title":"Prolactin (test 0070115)","url":"https://ltd.aruplab.com/Tests/Pub/0070115","publisher":"ARUP Laboratories"},{"title":"Prolactin blood test","url":"https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003718.htm","publisher":"MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine)"},{"title":"Hyperprolactinaemia","url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6947286/","publisher":"Journal of Clinical Medicine (Samperi, Lithgow, Karavitaki)","year":2019},{"title":"Establishing Reference Intervals for Sex Hormones on the Analytical Platforms Advia Centaur and Immulite 2000XP","url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4697344/","publisher":"Annals of Laboratory Medicine (Schüring et al.)","year":2016}]}],"review":{"status":"ai-verified","label":"AI-verified against cited sources. Awaiting expert review","lastReviewed":"2026-10-03"},"summary":"A pituitary hormone that helps the breasts make milk after birth. In people who aren't pregnant or breastfeeding, levels are normally low.","url":"https://bloodtesttracker.com/markers/prolactin","notice":"Information, not medical advice. Ranges differ between labs, so the range on your own report is the one your result is judged against."}