Sulpiride treatment during early human pregnancy: effect on the levels of prolactin, six steroids, and placental lactogen.

To study the role of PRL in the regulation of the production of 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and human placental lactogen (hPL), 11 healthy women were given 150 mg sulpiride daily for 14 days, beginning between weeks 6--9 of normal gestation. Plasma PRL, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and hPL were measured before and 1 and 2 weeks after the start of sulpiride treatment, and the results were compared with those from 16 control women who were followed similarly but without sulpiride treatment. Sulpiride treatment induced significant (P less than 0.001) elevations of plasma PRL at 1 week [84.1 +/- 4.9 vs. 23.7 +/- 2.8 ng/ml (mean +/- SE)] and 2 weeks (83.0 +/- 4.1 vs. 31.9 +/- 4.1 ng/ml). No differences were observed in the concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, or hPL. Two women treated with sulpiride reported mild uterine contractions, but no spontaneous abortion occurred in either group. It is evident that hyperprolactinemia or sulpiride treatment do not change the circulating concentrations of sex steroids and hPL between 6--11 of normal gestation.