Prolactin test
The hormone that controls milk production. It also affects the cycle and fertility.
€14.41. You pay at the desk, not online.
- Preparation: At rest, often fasting
- Prescription: Not needed
- Results: In the Rosa app, within 10 working days
- Also called: Prolattina
Prolactin test: what it is for
Prolactin is a hormone made by the pituitary, a small gland at the base of the brain. Its main job is to make milk after giving birth. Men have it too. If it is too high, it holds back ovulation in women and testosterone in men.
When it is done
In women, doctors order it when periods are irregular or missing, when milk comes from the nipple without breastfeeding, or when a pregnancy does not come. In men, when there is low sex drive, erection problems or low testosterone.
It is not a routine test for people who feel well. It rises for many harmless reasons, such as the stress of the blood test, and a high result without symptoms often leads to needless tests.
How the prolactin test is done
It is a blood test, done at a Bianalisi lab without a prescription. You can add other tests to the same draw.
Questions about the prolactin test.
Do I need to fast for a prolactin test? Follow your lab’s instructions. They often ask for fasting and a few minutes of rest before the draw, because stress raises it.
How much does the prolactin test cost? €14.41, from Bianalisi’s private list for Lombardy. You pay at the desk on the day of the draw, not online.
Do I need a prescription for the prolactin test? No. You book it here without a prescription and pay at the Bianalisi desk.
When do results arrive? Within 10 working days, in the Rosa app, with each value next to the lab’s interval. The report a doctor approves is in the Rosa membership.
