As we know, hormones are responsible for the changes that a woman’s body undergoes during pregnancy, from physical changes to that roller coaster of emotions that we can feel, where the sensitivity that many of us experience particularly stands out.
But what are these hormones? We are going to talk about the main hormones during pregnancy , what they are and what their role is during this stage.
Estrogen
We start with estrogen, which is the hormone that starts everything because it is responsible for female sexual development. It is produced by the ovaries, and during pregnancy also by the placenta, whose function at this stage is to ensure healthy development .
Progesterone
Progesterone is a hormone that originates from the ovaries and the placenta. This is the hormone in charge of stimulating the thickening of the tissues that surround the uterus, preparing it for the implantation of the ovum once it has been fertilized and so that it can support the growth of the fetus.
Later, this hormone continues to work during pregnancy, preparing the breasts so that they are ready to produce the breast milk with which we will feed our baby.
Some studies have found that this hormone, in conjunction with others such as oxytocin that appears during childbirth, is also related to the famous mumnesia or amnesia of mothers.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
Second on our list is perhaps the most famous hormone at this stage: human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as “the pregnancy hormone.” It is so called because it only occurs during pregnancy and is responsible for maintaining it .
This hormone is secreted by the placenta and appears in the blood and urine of pregnant women approximately ten days after conception. That is why it is used in pregnancy tests: if the presence of this hormone is detected, there is gestation .
We must comment that HCG can also be used clinically to induce ovulation in the ovaries or the production of testosterone in the testes. Therefore, it is used for fertility treatments due to its similarity to Luteinizing Hormone (LH) or luteostimulating, with an important role in the ovulation process.
Lactogena
Another that is also produced by the placenta is the human placental lactogen hormone, whose main mission is to modify the metabolism of women during pregnancy to facilitate the supply of energy to the fetus , guaranteeing an adequate development of the baby during pregnancy.
Although its relationship with breastfeeding has not been exactly defined, this hormone that appears in the blood plasma from the third week is responsible for some changes in the woman’s body , such as an increase in the size of the breasts.
Relaxina
Although relaxin is a hormone that is always secreted, in pregnancy it reaches some peaks. Its function is to help the baby to develop and promote its exit in labor , by relaxing the ligaments of the pelvic joints, making them more elastic and allowing the birth canal to open more and widen.
This hormone is also the reason why the feet grow during pregnancy, because as there is more elasticity in the ligaments for the baby to come out , the arches of the feet flatten slightly with the help of weight gain, and also, altogether with progesterone is the reason why many women experience pelvic pain at this stage.
Oxytocin
Known as the “love hormone”, oxytocin has a very important function at the end of pregnancy and when the baby is born : it is responsible for triggering contractions and also favors breastfeeding.
During labor, our body naturally releases high levels of oxytocin . The secretion of oxytocin is stimulated by the distention of the cervix, and helps our uterus to contract, favoring the dilation of the cervix, the birth of the baby and later the expulsion of the placenta (delivery).
As for breastfeeding, oxytocin is released in response to stimulation of the nipple by the baby’s suction, helping the milk to flow through the ducts until it exits the nipple . This is what is known as an ejection reflex.
This reflex affects both breasts at the same time and that is why it is common that when we are breastfeeding from one breast, the other also leaks. Also, oxytocin is released in response to other stimuli , such as seeing or hearing the baby. For this reason, some mothers notice that their breasts leak when they hear their baby cry.
On the other hand, oxytocin also helps the uterus to contract and reduces postpartum hemorrhage. These contractions after childbirth are called miscarriages, and they help the uterus return to its normal size in the process of uterine involution after delivery.
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