The response to
bromocriptine therapy of 12 infertile women with ovulatory dysfunction and euprolactinemic
galactorrhea was studied. Four of the subjects had
anovulation, four had oligo-ovulation, and four had delayed ovulation. Serum PRL levels in all 12 subjects were less than 20 ng/ml. Normal ovulation occurred at least once in all of the patients on
bromocriptine therapy and in 38 of 41 (92%) of the cycles. Seven patients (58%) conceived promptly with
bromocriptine therapy, and all subjects had cessation of
galactorrhea within 1 month of the onset of
therapy. The seven pregnancies included five normal term vaginal deliveries, one premature vaginal delivery, and one
tubal pregnancy. The results of this study should be considered preliminary but suggest that the presence of euprolactinemic
galactorrhea in patients with ovulatory dysfunction may still represent a covert disorder of PRL physiologic factors. The prompt correction of these ovulation disturbances gives supporting evidence for this hypothesis and suggests that a short trial of
bromocriptine therapy may be warranted after minimal blood sampling. The differential outcome between our group of patients produces further evidence that variable mechanisms may be operative.