A Guide to Pregnancy hormone

By Jake Alexandre


Hormones are formed in one tissue of a body and travel in the bloodstream of an organism to the other tissues or organs. Hormones are also called "chemical messenger" and play important role and work quite slowly and affect different processes like metabolism, growth and development, sexual function, reproduction and moods. Similarly, hormones are very important during the phase of pregnancy and those women who are under the control of their hormones are said to be under the hormonal storm or tides.

Multiple hormonal changes take place during the pregnancy phase of woman's life but there is no doubt that Pregnancy hormone play a very vital role in the healthy growth and development of a baby. All these hormones are the cause of mood swings and change in body shape of an expecting mother. These variations in the level of hormones cause some discomfort and give rise to a number of upsetting symptoms like vomiting, nausea, stress and sickness. If a pregnant woman understands the effect of these changes and handles them graciously then whole phase of pregnancy becomes smooth for her.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is the main pregnancy hormone. It is secreted by cells that form the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall. This hormone is responsible to stimulate the ovaries to produce more progesterone which stops menstrual cycle. It also contributes to early signs of pregnancy like nausea, morning sickness and vomiting. HCG is present in the urine of an expecting woman and is responsible for the formation of two lines in a pregnancy test strips. Due to high level of HGC, the circulation of blood also increases in the pelvic area resulting frequent urination during first three months of pregnancy.

Progesterone is another main pregnancy hormone that is primarily produced by the placenta. This hormone maintains the function of placenta and check the abrupt movement and contraction of the uterus. The level of progesterone increases with the progress of pregnancy. Its high level distresses the muscles that cause a bloated feeling, heartburn and acid flux, mostly in the last trimester of pregnancy. Progesterone release softens the cartilage in pelvic region resulting in hip and pubic bone pain. Progesterone stimulates milk producing glands which leads to breast tenderness and this hormone does not allow milk production during gestation. It allows lactation only after birth.

Other hormones like Estrogen, Oxytoxin, Relaxin and Melanocyte also play a crucial role during pregnancy. Estrogen stimulates the maturation of the kidneys, lungs, bone density and liver of unborn baby. The glow of skin during pregnancy is also due to the high level of estrogen. Estrogen triggers the release of progesterone in late pregnancy. Melanocyte changes the skin color during gestation whereas Oxytoxin assists the delivery process by causing the contraction of uterus. It also arouses the mammary glands to produce milk post delivery. Relaxin softens the ligaments and tissues of the pelvic area.

These hormones contribute to the emotional variation experience during pregnancy. No doubt these hormones cause many undesirable things to pregnant woman but it is important of having knowledge of these hormones to get to know the unseen things happen during pregnancy.




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