Gyn Chronicles
Hyperprolactinemia
By Dr. Maureen Owiti
Hello everyone once again. The editor of Marketing Africa magazine has come calling once again so I’ m very fortunate to be able to greet him“ Hello Mr. Kalombo!!” and even more fortunate to wish you wonderful readers a Happy New Year and very prosperous 2026!!!
Without further ado, let me delve right into the current column’ s anecdotes. Cynthia, a very tall and beautiful business lady walks into my office. Curious as ever I wonder what could have brought this wonderful specimen from 254 to my office. My immediate thought is an annual gynaecological check and yes, using this opportunity, may I remind all of you beautiful ladies to please go for your annual checks. Breast cancer and Cervical cancer are real and with age comes all the wonderful witches of aging, hypertension and diabetes to name but a few. Mark Twain however put the age issue quite well“ Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don’ t mind, it doesn’ t matter!” Seriously on a light touch but it resonated with me.
Back to Cynthia … after a brief introduction I politely enquire what brings her to our office. In a very composed manner, she narrates her story. She has been married for the last 5years and unfortunately has not been able to have a baby. She has been following up with another Gynaecologist, however they have not been successful in the baby journey!! She had a friend, who recently delivered and made a great recommendation and advised her to see me.
I decide that we just to back to basics and start with her menstrual history- Cynthia has very regular cycles; sexual history- nothing out of the ordinary: she has a healthy sexual life; they are intimate with her spouse at least 3 times per week and have never been on any
The World Health Organization defines infertility as a disease of the male or female reproductive system, characterized by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. It is estimated to affect between 8 and 12 % of reproductive-aged couples worldwide. Males are found to be solely responsible for 20-30 % of infertility cases but contribute to 50 % of cases overall.
form of contraception. The World Health Organization( WHO) defines infertility as a disease of the male or female reproductive system, characterized by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. It is estimated to affect between 8 and 12 % of reproductive-aged couples worldwide. Males are found to be solely responsible for 20-30 % of infertility cases but contribute to 50 % of cases overall.
At face value the definition looks simple enough but on thorough investigation one realizes there is more to it than meets the eye. One of my teachers in school was very interesting and told the proverbial tale of a couple, who were unable to have children. They underwent several checks and tests, which all came back normal until the fertility specialist took it upon himself to interrogate their sexual history. It came out that they had never had penetrative intercourse for more than 3 years of marriage and would hold hands and consider that as sex.
Thoroughly shocking to say the least and one doesn’ t know whether to laugh or cry, but I feel with Gen Z they may educate the doctor a thing or two regarding sexual intercourse. Today I seem to have too many stories. The moral of the story is that a thorough sexual, reproductive and medical history needs to be taken before we jump into conclusions.
After a comprehensive session no red flags stood out other than the fact that she was not pregnant despite 5 years of marriage and management with oral ovulation induction agents for about one year. She had done a pelvic Ultrasound and the worst test known to women a
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