Ch. 28 Pregnancy and Human Development
Marieb, Hoehn11th EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136874034
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 The Human Body: An Orientation24
- Ch. 2 Chemistry Comes Alive25
- Ch. 3 Cells: The Living Units21
- Ch. 4 Tissue: The Living Fabric20
- Ch. 5 The Integumentary System11
- Ch. 6 Bones and Skeletal Tissues19
- Ch. 7 The Skeleton14
- Ch. 8 Joints7
- Ch. 9 Muscles and Muscle Tissue26
- Ch. 10 The Muscular System26
- Ch. 11 Fundamentals of the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue19
- Ch. 12 The Central Nervous System26
- Ch. 13 The Peripheral Nervous System and Reflex Activity32
- Ch. 14 The Autonomic Nervous System19
- Ch. 15 The Special Senses26
- Ch. 16 The Endocrine System23
- Ch. 17 Blood25
- Ch. 18 The Cardiovascular System: The Heart24
- Ch. 19 The Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels27
- Ch. 20 The Lymphatic System and Lymphoid Organs and Tissues14
- Ch. 21 The Immune System: Innate and Adaptive Body Defenses27
- Ch. 22 The Respiratory System21
- Ch. 23 The Digestive System31
- Ch. 24 Nutrition, Metabolism, and Energy Balance26
- Ch. 25 The Urinary System26
- Ch. 26 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance24
- Ch. 27 The Reproductive System24
- Ch. 28 Pregnancy and Human Development25
- Ch. 29 Heredity11
Marieb, Hoehn11th EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136874034Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 28, Problem 9
The most important hormone in initiating and maintaining lactation after birth is
(a) estrogen
(b) FSH
(c) prolactin
(d) oxytocin
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the role of each hormone listed in the options in relation to lactation and childbirth.
Recall that estrogen primarily prepares the breasts during pregnancy but does not maintain milk production after birth.
Recognize that FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) is mainly involved in reproductive processes like follicle development, not lactation.
Identify prolactin as the hormone responsible for initiating and maintaining milk production in the mammary glands after childbirth.
Note that oxytocin is important for milk ejection (let-down reflex) but does not initiate or maintain milk production itself.
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Prolactin and its Role in Lactation
Prolactin is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that primarily stimulates milk production in the mammary glands after childbirth. It initiates and maintains lactation by promoting the synthesis of milk proteins and other components necessary for breastfeeding.
Recommended video:
2:54
Mammary Glands
Oxytocin and Milk Ejection Reflex
Oxytocin, released from the posterior pituitary, is responsible for the milk ejection or 'let-down' reflex. It causes the contraction of myoepithelial cells around the alveoli in the breast, enabling milk to be expelled through the ducts, but it does not initiate milk production.
Recommended video:
3:37Stretch Reflex
Hormonal Regulation of Lactation
Lactation is regulated by a balance of hormones including estrogen, FSH, prolactin, and oxytocin. Estrogen and FSH primarily regulate reproductive functions, while prolactin initiates milk synthesis and oxytocin controls milk release, highlighting the distinct roles of these hormones in breastfeeding.
Recommended video:
Guided course
13:06Review of Major Hormones
Related Practice