Prolactin is a hormone that is responsible for lactation, which can be described as milk secretion from the mammary glands for breastfeeding the infants. When the infants suckle the nipples, the production of prolactin gets stimulated, thus providing the breast with milk. For the newborns, mother's milk is of utmost importance. So, there should be adequate prolactin production in order to fulfil the requirement of the infants. But, sometimes, there is less of prolactin production.
Prolactin is secreted and synthesized by lactotrope cells in adenohypophysis, the center of the anterior pituitary gland. Along with it, it is also produced in decidua and breast. Though Neuroendocrine hormones regulate pituitary prolactin secretion, thyrotropin releasing factors are also responsible for the stimulatory effect on prolactin production.
Effects of prolactin are described in the following lines of this article. The prime function of prolactin is to stimulate the mammary glands to lactate or produce milk. During pregnancy, the increase in serum concentrations leads to the enlargement of breasts along with the increase in milk production. However, progesterone stops milk ejection from breasts, when the baby is born. After the baby is born, levels of progesterone decrease and lactation starts.
One factor responsible for prolactin production during pregnancy, is estrogen, which is found in high concentration among pregnant women. This causes the maturation of mammary glands, thus preparing them for lactation. After childbirth, with the removal of internal stimulation, the proactin levels fall in blood circulation. The prolactin production again increases as the baby starts sucking, as the mechanoreceptors around the nipple also gets activated when the baby tries to suck milk the from mother's breast.
Some of the other factors responsible for increase in prolactin production are described below.
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Prolactinoma is one of the prime cause for the increase of prolactin. Several anti psychotic medications lead to the increase of prolactin production, which is considered to be one of the prime side effects of this medication. Sometimes, in primary hypothyroidism, there is an excess of TRH, or thyrotropin releasing hormone, leading to the condition of more orolactin oroduction. Decrease in orolactin oroduction occur due to excess of dopamine and bulimia.
Whatever be the cause, there are treatment for both increase and decrease of Prolactin Production; so consult your doctor and start the treatment immediately, if necessary.
In order to know about prolactin, keep on browsing the related pages of the site pregnancyxl.com.
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