A double-antibody radioimmunoassay technique has been used to investigate the serum prolactin (hPRL) level in Malay females from premenarche to the postmenopause. The results showed that the hPRL level (mena ± SEM) in the premenarchal, postmenarchal and late pubertal/reproductive subjects were 23.6 ± 2.3, 19.1 ± 2.0 and 22.7 ± 1.9 ng/ml respectively. In premenopausal women, hPRL level (11.8 ± 2.4 ng/ml) was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) compared to that of late pubertal group; the level declined even further after menopause (9.5 ± 1.7 ng/ml). Although the difference in the mean prolactin levels between premenopause and postmenopause were not significant, 73% of the postmenopausal women had serum prolactin concentrations below 10 ng/ml compared to 44% of the premenopausal and 10% in late pubertal group.
A study of 207 benign ovarian tumors seen at the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur between 1968 and 1975 was made to evaluate the clinical features that might be useful in the preoperative differentiation of mucinous cystadenoma, serous cystadenoma, and cystic teratoma of the ovary. This study indicated that the pertinent information included the mean age of the patient, the marital and menstrual status, and the estimated tumor size. The racial background was an additional factor in serous cystadenoma. Features like parity, the location of the tumor, and ABO blood group pattern were of no value in the preoperative differentiation.