Does untreated hyperprolactinemia affect the fetus?

Many people may think that if hyperprolactinemia is found during pregnancy, the pregnancy should be terminated. In fact, there is no "one size fits all" approach to this issue. If hyperprolactinemia is found in the early stages of pregnancy, it is best to terminate the pregnancy. However, if hyperprolactinemia is found in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, treatment options can be selected based on the specific situation, and termination of pregnancy is not necessary.

It should be emphasized that continuing the pregnancy does not mean leaving hyperprolactinemia alone. Patients must control the development of hyperprolactinemia through active chemotherapy or surgical treatment. So, will the treatment have an impact on the fetus? At present, the means of treating hyperprolactinemia mainly include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and targeted therapy. Different treatments have different effects on the fetus. Among them, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy have the greatest impact on fetal development, so they should be avoided throughout the pregnancy; while chemotherapy can be performed in the middle and late pregnancy, and has little effect on the fetus.

For patients with hyperprolactinemia who have not yet become pregnant, whether they can become pregnant depends on whether they still have the opportunity and ability to become pregnant. Because chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, etc. all have an impact on ovarian function, it is not easy for patients with hyperprolactinemia to conceive. Studies have shown that patients with hyperprolactinemia who gave birth to children after surgery have a better prognosis than those who did not. There are many reasons for this difference, but at least it shows that patients with hyperprolactinemia should not give up their right to be mothers because of concerns about the risk of recurrence.

In terms of preventing hyperprolactinemia, although we cannot change some risk factors for hyperprolactinemia such as age and genetics, we can still reduce the incidence of hyperprolactinemia by changing our diet and lifestyle, including breastfeeding, avoiding multiple abortions, limiting high-fat diet, exercising more, and other healthy lifestyles.