Treatment Options

Dopamine agonists (activators) may be useful for individuals whose infertility is caused by high levels of prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. For men, the normal role of prolactin is not well understood. However, prolactin levels that are too high can result in male infertility and breast enlargement, a condition known as gynecomastia. For women, prolactin interacts with estrogen and progesterone to stimulate breast development during pregnancy and milk production after the birth of a child. If a non-pregnant woman?s prolactin levels are too high, amenorrhea (the absence of menstrual periods) and anovulation (the absence of egg production) may occur.

The hypothalamus secretes a chemical known as dopamine that helps control prolactin levels. Dopamine agonists are drugs that mimic the actions of dopamine. Often used to treat Parkinson?s disease, they may also be used to lower the production of prolactin by the pituitary gland. Using a dopamine agonist to reduce prolactin levels may result in successful pregnancies for up to 80% of women who are infertile due to high prolactin levels.

Drugs in the class

Cabergoline (Dostinex)